Stardust Accelerator: The Amazon Isles
by Colossal Fighter GX
Summary: Take place after the events of Reverse of Arcadia: When Jason becomes stranded on a mysterious island, this 5D's Homunculus had discovered a tribe of warrior women ruled by a young princess whose hatred towards men knows no bounds.
1. Chapter 1

**CFGX: "Hey, duelist. You may have known me for my Stardust Accelerator/Reverse of Arcadia stories. But somehow lately, I haven't been able to receive much feedback as I did about a year ago. So with a little help from Gammatron, I made this story in hopes of reviving my reviewers. I hope you'd like this one. It's sort of based off of one of the arcs from the One Piece manga. Now for the disclaimer... The Yugioh franchise is of proud and copyright ownership of Kazuki Takahashi. Any characters not seen in the anime or manga is created by their respective authors on this site."**

**Betas: Gammatron**

* * *

><p>Stars. They are everything the earth. These fascinating specks of light help illuminate the void of darkness that is the universe. They watch over us for many years, watching the planet as it develops. Stars can be interpreted for many things; they were used by sailors to navigate the the sea from one land to another. Whenever a star falls, if someone makes a wish before it disappears, it could come true. The most famous use for them is to represent the levels of the monsters used in the world's most favorite game, Duel Monsters; and to an even greater extent, the Synchro Monster, formed by monsters known as Tuners, to combine with other monster to increase in power. But the oldest use for astronomy is predicting what is to come, which is just what is happening now.<p>

Far away on an uncharted island, a young woman stood at the edge of the cliff, the rushing ocean crashing against the landscape. She watched as the stars twinkled in the sky, as if they were trying to send some sort of message...

"A major uprising is about to befall upon us soon..." tapping the ground with her staff, the woman turned and walked into the jungle behind her.

* * *

><p>The sun shone brightly, reflecting against the flowing ocean. Shadows were cast against the moving ripples as seagulls flew overhead. The water was being carved greatly as a large white vessel moved across the ocean. A great many people were either moving about or lying under the sun, soaking in its radiance.<p>

People stood around the ship to watch this amazing view; including one in particular. He wore his usual trademark baggy jeans and short-sleeved jean jacket. His side-swiped black hair billowed through the wind as he watched the sea with his sapphire-blue eyes. But his most peculiar feature was the crimson-colored rune sketched on his right arm.

Jason Hutchins let out an exasperated sigh as he turned from the sea towards a giant pool that was behind him. a lot of people were swimming, splashing, diving, and even snorkeling in the water; white many others were lying on towels, soaking in the sun's rays. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Jason, however, feels too uncertain...

"Jason!" a woman's voice called out to him. Jason walked hastily halfway across the pool until he stopped beside a large marble-white towel. Resting on it was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen; Her forest-green hair reflected slightly against the sunlight. She wore a lime-green tank-top with a white-and-black towel wrapped around her waist. She removed her sunglasses to reveal a pair of bright, amber eyes that showed a hint of concern... "I just couldn't help but watch you stand on those rails all day. I something wrong?"

It was true. Something was plaguing Jason. He was pretty hectic ever since the battle against the Dark Signers. Sometimes he could not stand to look at Gabriella, not what after what she had done. She was a master manipulator of the desperate. She could find anyone's weakness and changed it to hatred to direct it towards him. It was not until the very end that Jason managed to bring the Gabriella he knew back to reality. But even as the month went by, he could not be more uncertain. "Oh, uh, nothing. Just thinking about stuff..."

"Oh." Gabriella blinked, "But I can't just let you just mope around and do nothing. Why don't you take a dip in the pool. I'm sure that Kat's waiting for you."

"That reminds me, where is she?" His question was interrupted when a sudden weight fell behind him. Even through his clothes it felt slippery and wet. Jason looked down to see a pair of small arms wrapped around his waist.

"Tag! You're it!" Jason looked back to see a little girl clinging behind him. Short black hair stuck to her head from the water she was no doubt swimming in. A pair of emerald gems sparkled from the sunlight, bouncing off its beautiful radiance. "I was wondering when you would come, Jason!"

"Oh! Kat, I was just looking for you!" Jason said, turning around to look at her, "Hey, that's a nice, uh... What are you today?"

The little girl pouted, "Stupid! I'm a Vaporeon!" Jason looked her over; she wore a slick blue wetsuit stopping at her biceps and thighs. She wore a swimming cap on her head with three yellow fins; one on top and the other two drooping down over her ears. "N-E-K-O! That spells Vaporeon!"

"Vaporeon, huh?"

"Uh-huh! Can you do something for me?" Katherine pointed out to the pool, "I wanna see you jump from the high-dive over there! C'mon, it'll be fun!"

Jason looked towards where Katherine was pointing and saw the high-dive. That only caused him to panic a bit. Now only had he never swim, he never even jumped from a diving board. Truth was, he was sort of afraid of heights. "Geez, Kat. I don't know..."

"Awww, pleeeeease?" Katherine fluttered her eyes, making a puppy-dog face. It was so adorable even Jason could only resist for so long...

"Oh, alright!" Jason conceded; Katherine couldn't help but giggle at how easily men could give in to a woman's wiles.

A while later, Jason was in his swimming trunks and was climbing up the ladder on the high-dive. He tried not to look down the higher he got up. Soon enough, he made it to the highest diving board. He walked towards the end and looked down. It might as well have reached the ozone, because it was a long drop. Jason looked over to the side of the pool and saw Gabriell and Katherine waving at them. He took a deep breath and began to flex the board with his feet. With his legs ready hopped up off the board and dove his way down to the pool. Jason could see the water racing closer and closer towards him. He straighten up and pointed his arms forward. He squeezed his eyes closed before he made impact with the water without a single splash. He could have been a synchronized swimmer if he had put his mind to it. Jason found his direction afterward and dove towards the two girls before coming up for air.

"You're right, Kat! That was fun!" Jason was about to get out of the water until...

"Wait! Jason! Don't get out!" Gabriella exclaimed; a confused Jason looked up to see her face red as a cherry, her hand covering her mouth and pointing out behind him. He turned around and saw a pair of swimming trunks floating on the other side of the pool. It didn't take him long to realize whose shots they were as he sunk his tomato-red face back underwater.

* * *

><p>Jason had stuck himself in his room since then. Being in a suite sure does has its perks. He had been taking his mind off things by looking through his cards. While his Genex is his favorite, his second-best favorite were warrior-type monsters. They were known to be one of the most versatile monsters in the game, common for massive battle-damage to card-destruction. The thing Jason probably liked most is their human based quality. It was because of these traits he believed that even the most flawed human can rise against even the most monstrous titans with the right potential. From legends he had never heard of like Jaden Yuki, Aster Phoenix and Joey wheeler, to Yusei and his racing warriors, they all hadhave potential. And with his signature warrior Colossal Fighter, Jason can duel with the best of them; and still it was a wonder why the Crimson Dragon had recently chosen him as a true Signer.

And speaking of the devil, a burning sensation was burning on his right arm. He looked at his arm to see his Mark of the Dragon Heart glowing like a shining star. Something was confusing him; it only burns when something dangerous was coming his way. But it was three months since the Dark Signer incident. Why was this happening to him now? His Sign shone brighter until it obscured his vision. Everything went black after that...

* * *

><p>Jason's eyes was opened to a new light; literally. He had to cover his eyes from the bright sunlight above. "Wait, sunlight?" he groaned; he turned his head over to the left and saw nothing but trees, rock, and sand, "Is this a dream? I thought I was back in the room..." he stood up and looked at his surroundings; he was standing on yards of sand surrounded by a pair of rocky cliffs, all overlooking a large body of water that stretched farther than the eye could see. If Jason had not known better, he would say he was standing on a beach, or rather a large quarry. He looked behind him to see a large, lush-green jungle. This was starting to get really strange. This seemed too real to be a dream. If this was really happening to him then he must get answers. And so, he turned around and walked out of the beach, and into the vast jungle ahead.<p>

But unbeknownst to him, two pairs of eye peered at him; and were now on their way to report to their superiors...

* * *

><p>It seemed he was walking forever. Wherever Jason went all he could see were giant trees, exotic plants, and overhead branches that shaded most of the afternoon sunlight. The more he walked, the more leaves and bark he passed by, and the more he had to walk.<p>

He was relieved when he came across a large slope to rest on. He walked over and sad down along the edge. Jason could see the ocean from the steep cliff, watching as the raging waters crashed against the rocks below. He then looked at the horizon ahead, seeing nothing but ocean as if it was connected to the sky. But regardless of the scenery, he could not help but wonder; why did his Mark glow back at the ship? How did he get from there to a landscape he had never been to before? And why?

"Who goes there?"

An alluring yet commanding voice and a pair of soft footsteps caused Jason to look back behind him. Approaching him was a young woman. She wore a short skirt, a hood and cape, all made from a tattered yellowed cloth. She had well-toned skin and her long blonde hair spilled from under her cloak, as well as a small bra-like feathered top that clutched around her bosom. She must be one of the land's inhabitants. First thing on Jason's mind was to gather a bit of information. So he approached the woman to try and talk to her.

"Halt!" In a swift motion, the woman reached over her waist and pulled out a sword. Jason stopped in his tracks as she pointed the long blade at him and shot a glare with her hardening, violet eyes. "You are wearing a strange attire. And more importantly, you are not wearing a collar. Who are you?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about! I don't even know how a got here!"

"...I see. So you're the one the Sage warned about; the one who will cause an uprise against the princess!" the woman sheathed her sword and outstretched her left arm, revealing a golden bracelet with a green gen embedded in it. The gem glowed brightly and under its light it began to change shape. The light dissipated to reveal a black-and-gold duel-disk; the gem on the middle was the same color as the bracelet and its card tray was the shape of an ax-head. The pulled a card from its deck tray and slapped it onto the tray. Just like magic, a female knight with red armor appeared, "Attack!" the knight jumped in the air and pulled out her rose in front of the sun let it blind Jason with its rays, obscuring his vision. When he could not see where she will attack, he had no choice but to shield himself with his forearms.

A loud 'clank' was heard, as when metal collided with metal. Jason opened his eyes to see that his Mark had glowed again and his own duel-disk had appeared. The knight retreated to her master's side.

"It appears that you hold the same power as well..." the woman wondered allowed as her knight disappeared, "This is very troublesome indeed! I must erase this problem before it even starts! I challenge you to duel!"

Jason groaned as he activated his duel-disk and drew his starting hand, 'How come every problem in my life have to have a duel put in the mix?'

"As Captain of the Guard, I, Valentine shall take your head before you can even cross into our village!" Jason gulped and held his neck as the woman drew her starting hand.

**Valentine: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"I will make the first move!" Valentine announced as she drew her sixth card, "I summon (1) G.B, Hunter(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 2000) in DEF mode!" a young woman with blonde hair, wearing a full black armored bodysuit appeared, "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I summon Marauding Captain to the field!" the war-torn knight appeared (ATK: 1200), "And thanks to his special-ability, I can summon out another warrior from my hand! So now I'll call out Ghost Gardna!" the white spectral defender appeared (DEF: 1900), "Now I place a card face-down! It's your move!"

"I draw!" Valentine started her turn, "A weak monster in ATK position and a strong defense where it could intercept my attacks. Your strategy is to simple..." she added a monster onto her tray and a female warrior with ornamented red-and-gold armor appeared; it was the same monster she tried to attack Jason with earlier, "So I'll just summon (2) Command Knight(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1900) in DEF position and activate Yellow Luster Shield, to increase the defensive power of all of my monsters by 300 points." a small golden barrier appeared each around a monster, increasing their DEF points.

G.B. Hunter: (DEF: 2300)

Command Knight: (DEF: 2200)

"That would end my turn!"

"My turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I release Marauding Captain to advance-summon (5) Kiryu(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1500)!" the knight disappeared and a large dragon took his place; it had red-plated scales and a maw of crimson under-biting fangs (ATK: 2000), "I'll end my turn at that."

"Then I will draw," Valentine started her turn, "I summon (3) D.D. Warrior Lady(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1600) in DEF mode!" a woman in a silver armored jumpsuit appeared, wielding a sort of energy-sword (DEF: 1600-1900), "I end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I summon the Dark Blade in ATK mode!" a warrior masked in gruesome black armor appeared (ATK: 1800), "And since Kiryu is a union-monster, I can equip him onto Dark Blade and increase his ATK points by 900!" the warrior hopped onto the red dragon.

Dark Blade: (ATK: 2700)

"Next, I activate The A. Forces continuous-spell! This card increases the ATK power of all my warriors by 200 for warrior and spellcaster on my field!"

Dark Blade: (ATK: 3100)

"Now I activate Kiryu's second ability! By releasing him while equipped to its master, Dark Blade can then attack you directly!" the Dark Blade went up to the dragon's head and launched himself using the head as a springboard. When the warrior fell to Kiryu's line of sight, he was launched forward by the dragon's birst of dragon-breath. Dark Blade was enveloped in an emerald flame, with his legs outstretched towards his desired target (ATK: 3100-2200).

"I activate my face-down trap card!" Valentine revealed her reversed card. Before Jason knew it, his Dark Blade disappeared into a floating sinkhole of distorted space. The vortex disappeared and another appeared overhead behind him. And as fast as the Dark Blade reappeared Jason's face met the black warrior's feet, and was knocked onto his back.

**Valentine: 4000**

**Jason: 1800**

"The face-down I played recently was the trap card Dimension Wall," Valentine stated, "When your monster attacked, this trap redirects the attack so you take the battle-damage instead of me."

Jason groaned as he got up from the ground, holding his face. He could barely believe the damage just then was real, "What gives? How am I involve in what you're talking about?"

"Do not play coy with me!" Valentine declared, "We have been wary of your arrival; warned by the Royal Sage herself! Your lie will not sway me! It is now my turn!" she drew her next card, "I summon (4) The Unfriendly Amazon(4/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1000)!" a female warrior in grey clothing appeared wielding her sword (ATK: 2000), "Next I play the Banner of Courage continuous-spell!" the spell card created a colorful war-banner on the field. "Now I switch Command Knight, G.B. Hunter and D.D. Warrior Lady to ATK position! And they gain more power due to Command Knight's effect!"

G.B. Hunter: (ATK: 1200-1400-1800)

Command Knight: (ATK: 1200-1400-1800)

D.D. Warrior Lady: (ATK: 1500-1700-2100)

The Unfriendly Amazon: (ATK: 2000-2200-2600)

"D.D. Warrior Lady! Attack his Ghost Gardna!" the dimensional warrior dashed toward the the ghostly guard. But both monsters reached an impasse.

"Sorry, but my Waboku trap prevents all of my monsters from being destroyed in battle!" a dimensional vortex then appeared between the two monsters and absorbed them both.

"My monster's special-ability removes both her and the monster she battled with from play." Valentine said, "I will turn this round over to you."

G.B. Hunter: (ATK: 1600)

Command Knight: (ATK: 1600)

The Unfriendly Amazon: (ATK: 2400)

Dark Blade: (ATK: 2000)

"Alright..." Jason drew his next card, 'This is nuts! The first person I've seen in hours and already I'm blamed for something I didn't do; or wasn't planning to do, in this case. I gotta win this duel so I can talk some sense to her.' "I summon the tuner monster Rose, Warrior of Revenge!" the crimson-haired kunoichi appeared (ATK: 1600), "And now I tune Dark Blade with Rose to synchro-summon Colossal Fighter!" the two warriors rose to the sky. Rose changed into four synchro-gates and surrounded the Dark Blade, the dark warrior disappeared and left four aligning stars. A torrent of light erupted as Jason chanted:

"Divested stars form a timid soul, discovered in the darkest reaches! Unlock the gates to remove the shadows, and create the titan it will become, on its long-forgotten journey! Synchro Summon! Colossal Fighter, Accelerate!"

Jason's signature titan landed from the column of light, creating a sudden quake (ATK: 2800). "And due to Colossal Fighter's ability, he gains 100 points for each warrior in my graveyard! And last I checked I got 2! And adding to the 200 points from The A. Forces, you do the math!"

Colossal Fighter: (ATK: 2800-3000-3200)

"And there's more ! equip Colossal Fighter with Fighting Spirit and Assault Armour! Fighting Spirit gives the equipped monster 300 points for each monster you have on the field, plus an extra 300 from Assault Armor!" the mighty silver titan glowed with a golden riryoku field (ATK: 3200-4100-4400), "Now I remove Assault Armor and allow Colossal Fighter to attack twice (ATK: 4100), "Now shoe 'er what you're made of, Colossal!" the massive warrior charge towards enemy lines and colided his giant fist through the Unfriendly Amazon, sending large aftershocks through the atmosphere.

**Valentine: 2300**

**Jason: 1800**

Colossal Fighter: (ATK: 4200)

"Now for the second and final round! Colossal Fighter, end this!" with one more charge-in, Colossal Fighter knocked out G.B. Hunter and erased the rest of Valentine's life-points.

**Valentine: 0**

**Jason: 1800**

However, the tremors from that last attack caused the foundation of dueling field to weaken; and pretty soon, the cliff began to crumble and then collapse, taking Jason with him.

Valentine leap backwards from the falling landscape to avoid being dragged towards the same the quake stopped, she looked down over what was left of the cliff only to see only the crashing waves below, "Although I have lost to a man, it was just a means to an end. The threat had been neutralized and that is all that matters. Now to report back to the Sage at once..." with that, the warrior turned and disappeared into the forest.

But when the woman vanished from sight, a large mass emerged from the ocean, lifting Jason up from the steep depths...

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) G.B. Hunter**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1200 DEF/2000**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: Cards on the field cannot be returned to the Deck.**

**(2) Command Knight**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1200 DEF/1900**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Description: While at least 1 other monster exists on your side of the field, your opponent cannot select this card as an attack target. Also, while this card remains face-up on the field, increase the ATK of all your Warrior-Type monsters by 400 points.**

**(3) D.D. Warrior Lady**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1500 DEF/1600**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Description: When this card battles your opponent's monster, after damage calculation you can remove from play the opponent's monster and this card.**

**(4) The Unfriendly Amazon**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/2000 DEF/1000**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: Tribute 1 of your monsters on the field (excluding this monster) during each of your Standby Phases. If you do not, this card is destroyed.**

**(5) Kiryu**

**Stats: [Dragon/Union] Level 5 ATK/2000 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Description: Tribute 1 of your monsters on the field (excluding this monster) during each of your Standby Phases. If you do not, this card is destroyed.**

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON TRIVIA-<strong>

**Hey duelists! Did you know:**

**The 'G.B.' in G.B. Hunter's name stands for "Gladiator Beast", seeing as how its effect counters the effect of most "Gladiator Beasts" and their support. It also has a respectable DEF, meaning that most "Gladiator Beasts" will be unable to destroy it alone.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: The Yu-Gi-Oh franchise is of proud and copyright ownership of Kazuki Takahashi. Any characters not seen in the anime or manga is created by their respective authors on this site.**

**Betas: MewStar0013**

* * *

><p>When you think of history's greatest warriors, you think about met whose armor can withstand even the most heavy damage, brutes whose weapons are so sharp and massive that they can cleave into three or more people in one swift move, men whose very names struck fear in the hearts of giants; men like Alexander the Great, Ghengis Khan, Leonidas of Sparta, Julius Caesar. These men were known throughout history as great warriors.<p>

But there was one fact that was ignored in the history of warfare: that there are woman warriors that are just as ruthless and powerful, such as Fu Hao of China, Ahhotep of Egypt, and the Trung Sisters of Vietnam. But there is one tribe of female warriors who were well known in ancient times for their brute strength and many numbers. These women were known by one word: Amazons.

* * *

><p>Within a massive throne room, a young woman paced across the marble floor. Dressed across her dark skin she wore a black halter top accented by yellow feathers, a red breech-cloth held in place by a white sash and a belt made of teeth. She carried a simple wooden staff, topped with a crescent–shaped piece of wood, on which hung more feathers and three small bones. Part of her long blue hair was dressed up in a bun. In her right hand, she dragged a designed wooden staff along the floor.<p>

This has been a very tense time for her. Her prediction had came to light sooner than she had expected; and on the very day after her readings with the stars. They have told her that there would be a large commotion soon. And she had been informed this morning that there was an intruder lurking around on the island from the shores. Outside influence was prohibited in a place like this. So she had sent out her most skilled warrior to deal with this situation. Now she just needed to hear from her to ensure this problem was solved. Of course, she would not need to wait any longer, thank goodness, because the Captain of the Guard, Capt. Valentine, entered the room.

"A report, please?" the woman asked as she stopped pacing.

"You won't have to worry anymore, Mabel," Valentine said matter-of-factly, a proud glint in her eyes, "The intruder had been eliminated."

The woman, Mabel, sighed in relief, "Thank goodness. Our people will remain safe. And I take it you have your 'trophy' to confirm it?" Valentine suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Well... I didn't actually manage to bring his head back..." Mable quirked a brow.

"Hmm?"

"We were dueling on a landscape out by a cliff in the ocean. And in its conclusion, the area gave in and collapsed under him, dropping him into the ocean. I highly doubt he would survive from the fall." replied Valentine. Mable's eyebrows rose an inch.

"Wait, did you say you and he were in a duel?" she asked curiously, "How is that possible?"

"He seems to have some sort of power similar to the stones we wield. As I experienced a strange red glow on his right arm, he had somehow managed to evade my attack." Explained the captain.

"Valentine, this simply cannot do!" Mable said sternly, eyebrows frowned and clutching her staff in both her hands, "If this person has this kind of power, then how would nature do him in? He may have survived and continued his way to our village as we speak!"

The warrior gasped in horror, "I... I didn't think about that!"

"Find the intruder and bring him back here before the princess finds out he is still wandering about! We cannot allow him to bring chaos onto her people!" demanded Mable, eyes turning into narrow slits with barred teeth. Valentine gave a quick nod of the head.

"Of course..." without another word, she left the room, leaving Mable once again on her own.

'We have been safe from the outside world for a long time. Please don't allow anyone else to take our princess away...' she thought worriedly, drawing small circles along the floor to preoccupy her mind.

* * *

><p>The sight of rushing water was the last thing Jason saw. Now he was staring at a ceiling of golden straw. He stood up from a mattress and looked around his new surroundings. He was inside a small room. It was dark, but could barely make out its appearance because of the sunlight seeping through the cracks of the only window that was next to him. He could not remember how he got here. The last thing he remembered was falling at least five stories to the ocean, and that was that. There was a dull throbbing in his head, as if someone had knocked him out with a mallet and nearly every part of his body snapped and crackled with pain. He groaned and closed his eyes for a second, briefly testing the movement in his fingers, wrist, ankles, feet, and neck. Well, at least none of his limbs were lost after his fall. That seemed to be the only outlook that kept him sane at the moment.<p>

He suddenly heard a creak a distance away as he saw a door open and a young woman with dark-silver hair styled in in an arching ponytail came in. She wore what seemed to be a blue top with black tiger stripes that stopped above her stomach. There was also a mini skirt around her waist with the same design. She also wore golden bands around her wrists. Jason, slightly alerted, tried to sit up but was held down due to the pain.

"Don't get up yet," the girl said, her pupils sharpened, "Your wounds are still healing. They'll reopen if you move too much." She placed a pan of water on the table next to the bed and wrung out a towel that came from it, "We found you near the shores and you were in very bad shape. You were lucky we found you when we did, They could have gotten worse if they were left unattended." she sat on the bed next to Jason and looked at him with chocolate-brown eyes, "My name is Chakra. What's your name?"

"Um... It's Jason," the Signer answered, "Pardon me for asking, but where am I?"

"I thought you weren't from around here," the girl named Chakra smiled faintly, "You're in my home in the Kyria Village."

"Kyria Village?" asked Jason.

"It's one of our joints settlements in the Amazon Isles."

"Amazon... Wait, you mean 'Isle' as in 'island'?" Jason cried out as he quickly stood up; but the injuries he sustained had him on his back once again, a grunt and a hiss or two escaping his throat.

"Told you not to get up," deadpanned Chakra, giving a 'I told you so' look, "And yes; we really are living on a small island. You seem like such a strange person. Are you an outsider?"

"If by outsider, do you mean someone that lives outside of this island?" Jason asked. Chakra nodded, "Then yeah. I never been to an island before. I usually stick to a multi-cultural district on the outskirts of Japan. You seem like and interesting person too." he said, smiling politely.

Chakra smiled, "Thank you. I would really love to share our customs with any visitors that come here. But...I'm not sure you would like what I tell you." She looked at her hands warily, unsure at the most.

"Any particular reason?" but before Jason could receive his answer, a loud, drawn out boom echoed inside the room from outside. It sounded primal, like it was from a wild animal. Jason had to cover his ears to avoid having his eardrums wrecked, though he gritted his teeth as the prickling numbness of his arms sent small shocks along his nervous system. When the roar ended, he put his ears back down, "What was that?" he asked bewildered.

Chakra look across the window with a distant glance in her eyes, "She's back... And this early?"

"Who's back? What are you talking about?" Jason had caught Chakra's attention as her eyes were brought back to him, brown eyes trying to look as soft as silk.

"Huh? Oh, uh, nothing," the girl stood back up and went on her way to the door, "Listen, I have to step outside for a moment. Please, whatever you do, do not step outside this room. Understand?" Jason nodded, "Thank you. I'll only be for a moment." with that, Chakra went out of the room, leaving a slightly dumbstruck Jason behind.

Jason wondered what was so important that Chakra had to check to make sure that the black-haired duelist had to stay in this room? Of course he still needed to heal, but what just happened seemed to be urgent. Whoever Chakra was talking about, it was a safe bet she was important, to say the least. She must have known the person well to be hasty to leave. Although he was told to stay put in here, Jason could not help but be curious. So what is the harm of just scoping out this person? It was settled; he stepped out of bed and went out the door.

It took him a while to leave the house through the nearest window he found. That was when he realized that said house was a small one-floor structure made of hay and straw, and it stood on what seemed to be thick bamboo sticks. Behind him he spotted a forest of very tall trees roughly twice the height of the settlement he was in that ran across the area, even past several more houses made of the similar material. Jason heard a cluster of excited murmurs from the other side of the house he was possibly standing behind. When he peeked around the corner to the source of the voices, he spot a group of people standing around at the front. They were all female with fur attire of different colors. Even the children were wearing dresses made of animal fur. By the way they were clustered in front of the houses, they may be anticipating a parade of some sort. What could they be waiting for?

It was then that all of the townsfolk bent down and knelt to the ground. That supported Jason's hint that someone very important was heading this way. Looking closer, he can see a small flight of women carrying wooden, iron-tipped spears advancing across the dirt road between the spectators. Jason's better judgment told him that this was a division of warriors suited for collateral purposes; security, to put it simply. The question was, who were they protecting? He saw no one else walking in front of behind this platoon.

Suddenly a low growl throbbed behind him. Somehow Jason could pick up a similar frequency from a while ago, a feral and animalistic beat from when he heard that loud roar. He slowly turned his head to the source of the sound. And as he took a good look, he had wished he had never had.

Standing just a few feet from Jason was a large White Tiger almost as tall as him, glaring at him like a piece of meat with its fierce green eyes. The beast began to trail around him like a shark while Jason tried to moved away from it, not taking his eyes off it for even a moment. They stopped moving when they both stood in each others' place. Jason could think of nothing to get out of this mess; he now wished he stayed in bed.

Things seemed to get worse when he heard a rustle of leaves right behind him. Without thinking, he spun to the source of the noise when he was then knocked back by an anonymous force, slamming him onto his back. Jason's head was spinning from the impact; and even worse, he was pinned to the ground by some smaller beast, perched on top of him like a cat. However, he drew back out the sunlight in his eyes and ruled out that the thing sitting on him was actually human. Her natural blue hair hung from her head in large pigtails. For a moment he was awed by how the sun did well on her heavily-tanned skin, but was pulled back to the predicament at hand when a low growl escaped through her teeth.

Jason tried to voice something out before the girl stood up off her and roughly lift him by the collar. She was fairly short for his knees to barely touch the ground, "What are you doing outside your homestead?" she snarled. Jason tried to answer, but was slammed back onto his back with a surprise amount of force, "On second though, don't even bother speaking! There's absolutely no excuse for your kind to be wandering alone without your master present...!" the girl released him, and stamped on his chest to pin him down. She then flexed out her right hand, revealing her set of nails, seemingly manicured and sharpened, "It's very unfortunate that I would have to discipline you!" the young lady prepared to strike until...

"Wait!" both Jason and the girl turned to see Chakra who shouted to her, along with a crowd of on looking villagers. Chakra rushed over to Jason's side and knelt before the blue-haired woman, with her head hanging low as if she was bowing, "Please forgive him, your highness! He was just doing a bit of yard work for me in the backyard! It's not his fault!"

The girl glared at Chakra and then back at Jason. After a moment of reluctance, she drew her nails back and released him, "Consider yourself lucky..." she walked to the giant tiger and mounted on it's back, before turning her attention to the pleading Chakra, "I strongly advise you keep him on a short leash from now on." with that, the tiger carried the girl away into the forest. When everyone else had left the area, only Chakra and Jason were left alone.

"I told you to stay in bed, Jason!" Chakra scolded; she searched around Jason's bandages and found a few red patches, "And look at you! Some of your wounds reopened!"

"I'm sorry, I was just curious..." Jason said.

Chakra sighed tiredly, "It's alright, let's just get you inside and get you patched up again..."

* * *

><p>Later, Jason and Chakra were back in the guest room, the latter just finishing adjusting Jason's injuries, "There, all done." She said, wiping some of Jason's split blood off her fingers with a damp cloth.<p>

"Thanks," Jason said.

"You're welcome," Chakra looked away, as if she wanted avoid something. However, Jason was persistent.

"You do understand that I still have some questions that need answering, don't you?"

Chakra sighed, "I thought I could keep you hidden until I could find you a way off this island, but I supposed this can't be helped..." she then turned back to face him, "That girl you met back there, the one with the tiger, her name is Alina; better known as the White Tiger."

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

The large tiger carried the girl named Alina across the vast forest until the made it to a stone over water bridge. From there it bolted across the extension until the eventually reached a large stone structure. It was like where the ancient roman emperors lived, a giant palace made of pure marble. The tiger passed the large coliseum, then across the front of the courtyard and the white tiger stopped, allowing the girl to dismount. She walked towards the entrance where she was met with several maidens lined up on either side of her all of them bowing. The warrior and sage stood at the entrance as well, also bowing.

"You may stand," Alina said; the two obeyed.

"It is good to see you again," Valentine greeted, "How was your trip-?"

"I'm in no mood to talk, Valentine," Alina snapped as she walked towards the opening doors, "All I want to do now is have a long bath; and I'd appreciate it if no one disturbs me."

Valentine and Mabel watched as Alina was followed by her tiger into the palace, before the doors closed behind them, "As you wish, your highness." Sighed Valentine.

* * *

><p>Alina and her tiger walked down the corridors of the magnificent, marble statues of herself and other powerful-looking warriors (all female) and the skins of animals draping across the walls. When she reached a large room, two Amazons bowed before her as she entered the room, closing the marble door behind her. Pressing her back to the door, she undid her pigtails and she shook her head, aqua-blue hair spilling past her shoulders and curling and twirling across the plains of her back like a waterfall. The tiger nudge her hand with it's huge and furry head. She was rewarded with a stroke along her ears.<p>

"Honestly, Nila, why does today feel more difficult than the last?" she asked, walking across the giant room with long and elegant strides. Nila trotted along behind her, fallowing her to a giant room that had a large tub in the middle of it. The large tub was being filled and a liquid that smelt faintly sweet was being poured into the water by a young man at the age of fifteen with tangerine-orange hair and bright green eyes. His lanky but still tall form was clothed only in a animal-skinned loincloth that reached his ankles, a green-leafed headband pinning down his long bangs and framing his freckled face.

"Boy, is my bath ready?" barked Alina. The young man flinched before he turned and bowed to the warrior, his body trembling with fear but his voice trying to sound obedient without mixing up his words.

"Y-Yes, my lady. I've drawn it with the freshest of herbs picked from our noble grounds, your highness." he said with a shaky voice. His mistress looked at him steadily, trying to find any deceit in his words. When she did not, she nodded.

"Very well. Off with you." she said, a snarl hidden in her throat. Nodding and bowing once more, the boy left with quick steps and hurried breaths, leaving the queen to herself.

With the help of Nila, Alina de-robed and she stepped into the warm spring water, her nostrils filling with the sweet scent fruit and spices and causing her whole body to go lax. Holding some of her hair back, she dived her head into the warm water and she then resurfaced, sweet water damping her hair and causing skin to tingle. Her white tiger laid next to the edge of the water, her paw swiping at the water's surface with curiosity. Alina gave a sort of twitch of the lip.

"You've never really liked swimming. Even as a cub." she said. Nila gave a grunt and Alina spared a chuckle.

"You seem to be the only one who knows how to make me laugh," she said softly. Sitting up a little, she ran her fingers through her wet hair, a sudden frown now on her lips, "I wonder if we'll be able to do this again once we see the likes of Helios."

Nila gave a growl and her owner patted her head soothingly, "I know, I loath him as much as you do. But how must we keep our race alive without him and his despicable Gargareans? No, he is needed. Even if he is a pig-headed, disrespectful rat. He and men are all the same. Inhumane creatures that spoil the land that I walk on." she splashed the water a bit, looking up at the ceiling with narrowed eyes.

"Speaking of such, why can't I still shake off that bad feeling I have on that slave boy with black and grey hair?" she pondered and pondered this. So long that her skin had pruned in the water.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile. . .<strong>

"So you're basically saying that she's the leader of your tribe?" asked Jason, taking a bite out of one of the apples Chakra had bought him.

"Yes. She is the fiercest and most powerful Amazon of the tribe. Not only are her battle skills and speed are at best, but her terrifying rule can send hundreds of warriors to their knees." said Chakra, offering him another apple from her basket.

Declining it, Jason finished the one he had in his hand, "What about that tiger of hers?" he asked.

"She is a tiger Alina had raised ever since she was a cub. Her name is Nila, and if she even had another second with you, your skin would have been ribbons by now, and she would be gnawing on your bones." she warned. Jason's skin prickled at the though of that. Being that wild-cat's latest chew toy was definitely not on his to-do list. It was a good thing he had a few other questions.

"Hey, you said I was doing some yard work to save my life back there, right? Does that mean I'm not the only male here?" he asked. Chakra nodded.

"Alina does allow a few of the males born into the tribe to become warriors for the neighboring tribe or to be slaves for this tribe. She still has a great dislike for them, though." she said. Jason cocked his brow.

"Neighboring tribe?"

"Yes. The Gargareans. An all-male tribe that lives just past the mountains across the island. On sacred terms, we send a few of our women, and they send a few of their males, so that new life can be born next Spring. They are ruled over by their leader, King Helios," the young girl scrunched up her nose suddenly, as if she smelt something disgusting, "Personally, I like neither him, nor any of the other Gargareans. All of them are just monkey-brained, leech-ridden barbarians. I still wonder why her royal highness has kept in good terms with King Helios." she said, shaking her head. Jason nodding understandingly and he suddenly stood up from bed.

"Jason, I swear if you even step one foot out of this hut, I will take this simple dagger and-"

"I know, I know," assured the young man, rolling up his sleeves and rubbing his hands, "I may not know how I got here, and you may have saved me back there that one time, that doesn't mean some of those Amazons will come here and check to see if I'm, actually working. So I need to play the part while I'm stuck here. And relax, I just want to get some exercise and I feel perfectly fine now, see?" he bended down and maneuvered himself until he was hand standing, swinging his legs a little in emphasis. Getting back to his feet, he looked at the Amazon expectantly, "Sow what's my first chore?"

'Why is he so stubborn?' wondered Chakra, shaking her head before standing up and grabbing a empty bucket by the doorway and handing it to Jason.

"Fine. There's a stream close by here, just past the trees on the East. Can you please go grab some water from there?" she asked. Nodding with the bucket in hand, Jason walked out of the hut and he walked along the mossy and grassy floors until he reached the East trees.

* * *

><p>The rooftops of the trees crossed over each other with thick branches, flora and fauna all around him with cicadas chirping and birds of prey ready to peck at them. Jason stepped over thick tree roots and he made his way across smooth stones and rocks until he reached a babbling stream, water crossing and twisting like vines. He stopped when he saw probably the first male he saw on the island. Even with his tall built, orange hair, and pale skin, the guy didn't look dangerous. When he stepped on a twig, the boy jumped and he dropped his own bucket in the water.<p>

"Aw man, sorry about that. Here, let me get it." apologized Jason, already sprinting into the shallow water and retrieving the bucket. He held the bucket to the other boy, watching him take it uneasily.

"Th-Thank you." he mumbled, already on his knees again and collecting water into the bucket. Jason crouched next to him and he began gathering his own water. The other boy looked at him with a curious face.

"Hold on, you're that stranger that everyone is going on about. The one that Lady Chakra saved from Lady Alina." he said. Jason looked at the redhead with a small shrug.

"Guess I am. Oh yeah, my name's Jason, by the way." he said.

"My name is Michelangelo. Pleasure to meet you, Master Jason." he said. Sweat rolled awkwardly down the duelist's forehead at the new title.

"Er, Jason's just fine. No need for that 'Master' thing or whatever." he said. Michelangelo nodded.

"Very well. Jason it is." he said, pulling up his bucket of water and pulling out the stones and weeds that swam in water.

"Hey, Michelangelo?"

"Yes?"

"Hope this doesn't bother you or anything, but are you a, uh. . . . You know. . . Slave?" asked Jason. The green-eyed young man nodded without hesitation.

"Yes, been a slave ever since I was five-years-old. I've served under Lady Alina as one of her aids," Michelangelo suddenly had a nervous face, "Th-Though, her highness does scare me a little with her wrath." he added with a small yet squeaky laugh. Jason lifted his own bucket and he plucked out the stones in his water.

"She's that scary, huh?" he asked. The redhead gave another laugh.

"I rather not respond to that. I do not wish to become the next of the Royal guards' practice targets." he said. Jason's eyes widen.

"Is that how they punish you around here?" he asked. Michelangelo looked at the sky thoughtfully.

"Either that, or decapitation. Or being sent to be fed to the lions and tigers."

Jason gave a shiver, trying to brush away the three new entries to, 'A-Thousand-Ways-To-Die'.

"Wow, that's harsh." he said, almost trying to laugh it off.

Michelangelo joined him and the two laughed for a bit, "Pardon me for asking, but who would be your master?"

Jason tried to think of a story of why he was here. He couldn't exactly tell him that he woke up here because of some cosmic dragon, "Oh? Well, she's not exactly as special as Alina, but she's a real nice person. She took me when I had no one else and I serve her in return."

"Consider yourself lucky. It's been a long time since my Lady had treated me like that," Michelangelo stood, "Well, I have to get going. I don't want to keep her waiting."

Jason watched as he redhead soon disappeared into the forest, 'She must really be tough to get him so afraid. Makes me wonder what she would do if she ever catches me...'

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Maybel was back in the large throne room, unable to rest from the constant pacing she was doing. And just like before, Valentine entered through the double-doors, "Have you found him yet?"<p>

"No! I searched the entire forest! It's like he vanished!"

"Then search the forest again! He couldn't have gotten far! We can't face Lady Alina when we can't find the intruder who is supposed to be a threat to her!" but then she heard a low growl near the entrance of the room. It looks like they were found out.

Jason was walking back to the hut with the water in tow. He kept himself in mind of his recent talk with that Michelangelo person. By what he was told, Alina seemed to be a very fierce individual; especially with that tiger she had around her. He would hate to find out what would happen if he were to catch her on a bad day.

He had finally made it to Chakra's hut. There were a small group of people gathered around the entrance. What could possibly be happening there. Jason weaved through the crowd and made it to the doorway. The first thing he saw when he stepped through the doorway almost made him dropped his bucket, as he stepped back out.

The tiger known as Nila stepped out the door growling at him. It glared at him with the same predator's eyes it used the first time it met him. Jason was stuck in place as one wrong move would set off the tiger. He then found out that if Nila was here then her master must not be far.

"I thought I smelled a rat when I first saw you..." Jason looked behind him and found Alina standing behind him in front of the crowd. Close behind her were Valentine and Mabel.

"You are charged of treason against the Amazon Kingdom!" the warrior announced as she drew her sword and pointed the blade at Jason, "You are ordered by word of Princess Alina herself to follow us back to her palace for interrogation! Refusal to do so will come severe consequences!"

Jason was in bigger trouble now than he thought. He thought he could hide among the villagers until he could find a way to get off this island. But now that he has been found out, he may never return home. But perhaps if he came along quietly and explain himself to the princess, then maybe she could help him. There were no other options he could think of, "Alright, I...I surender."

"A wise decision," Valentine returned her sword to her sheath, "Constrain the miscreant!" Before he had the chance to debate, a golden chain quickly enclave around Jason and fasten itself over his upper body, clamping his arms to his torso. The sudden surprise forced Jason to his knees, "Our Lady thanks you greatly for your cooperation," Jason could hear footsteps and was sure that his captor was approaching him. When she passed him, Jason could not believe what he was seeing. It was Chakra who was his captor. The one who bound him in this chain was the same person who found him and took him in.

"It is a good thing you decided to cooperate when we told you of the fugitive; you save yourself a lot of trouble from her highness," Mabel said as Chakra approached them, "You may give him to us now. We can take it from here."

Chakra turned towards the captured person. She then tugged hard on her chain and pulled Jason towards her. She held the two of then face-to-face. Her eyes he saw were cold and calculate, instead of the kind and gentle eyes he thought were hers. Chakra leaned up closer to the Signer as she whispered something in his ear.

"Please endure this Jason. It will all be over soon, I promise..."

Alina was given the chain as Jason was now held by her, "Soon you'll learn what happens to those who threaten me and my kingdom." the princess mounted ontop of Nila and bolted out of the village. Unable to break the chains, Jason had no choice but to be dragged across the ground as the Amazon Princess raced towards the palace...

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: The Yu-Gi-Oh franchise is of proud and copyright ownership of Kazuki Takahashi. Any characters not seen in the anime or manga is created by their respective authors on this site.**

**Betas: MewStar0013**

* * *

><p>Jason was thrown into a dark, dingy room before hearing the wooden door slam closed and locked behind him. His body writhed as he stood up and walked towards the door, the chains connecting his wrists and ankles contracting his movements a bit. The Signer banged his fists on the door, but it would not budge. Developing bruises from his shackles and the recent ones from where Chakra's chains bit into him burned on his skin as he continued to force the door open. But the door was locked tight, and eventually, Jason slid against the door onto the floor, and sat with his back against the wall. He sighed in exasperation from all that transpired today. First he woke up in the middle of nowhere, then he was forced into a duel by a native warrior, and now he was trapped in a dungeon by an Amazon princess. "Eighteen years old and I didn't see any of this coming..."<p>

"You must expect that sort of thing from the princess," Jason's eyes darted towards the source of the voice. A large and burly man was sitting in a dark corner of the room, "The White Tiger shows no mercy, especially to those who she deem a threat to her rule."

"And you are...?" Jason was sure that voice had sound familiar, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Who am I?" the man smirked, "I'd think you would have an idea of who I am, considering we met before..." the man moved away from the shadows, revealing his dark hide and shaved head, "and since I tried to destroy the world at one point."

It took moments for Jason to put the pieces together, "Devack... You're Devack, aren't you?" His instincts told him to run, but his chains were providing quite difficulties.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" asked the bald man, arms crossed and making no indication to move.

"What are you doing here?" asked the black-haired teen finally. Devack side, tilting his head one way and looking extremely tired. Quite different from before.

"It's kind of a long story, actually." He drawled.

"I do have all day." To raise the emphasis, Jason rattled the chains on his wrists, soon counting that as a bad idea when the metal links pinched his purpled skin.

"If you say so. But to explain my story, I must start with princess Alina's..." Devack began, "When she was a little girl, she lived a sheltered life inside this very palace, often watching the village she now reigned from the castle walls. Her mother, the late queen, was admired throughout the land. Even Alina, being her daughter, was flattered by her courage. But one day, a foreign woman belonging to a secret organization arrived at the palace and challenged the queen to a duel. The clash furthered when the challenger created a mighty storm that almost destroyed the kingdom."

Mighty storm? Secret organization? Putting it together, only one name came up in Jason's mind. "Let me guess: Careen Stormfeather, of the Arcadia Movement?" Devack didn't seem all-too surprised of his answer. As if he expected it.

"The very same. You see, Alina was born with a special gift that only the queen herself, along with a few trusted advisers, knew about; I was one of those advisers," Devack's voice didn't not flatter when Jason's eyes widen, "But somehow, the secret somehow leaked outside our island and reached the ears of the Arcadia Movement. Careen was a representative of said order and came here to take her away, but the queen refused to have her daughter leave her. That resulted in a duel in which their combined power almost caused her kingdom to be blown away by a massive hurricane. After the storm calmed, Alina was nowhere to be found, as the duelist took her away."

Jason remained silent, eyes now on the ground, and listened to Devack's story.

"The queen wanted so badly to go out and find her, but she dare not leave her kingdom and her subjects. So she sent out her bravest to travel across the earth in search for the princess, not daring to return until she was found. As one of the princess' vassals, I was proud to serve. My search soon lead me to New Domino City, when I eventually infiltrated the Arcadia Movement headquarters. I soon found her among other prisoners they had stocked under their foundation. Those monsters had treated her like an animal in a cage. I freed her from their clutches and escaped that prison before anyone noticed she was gone. At last she was back home where she belonged; and the first face she wanted to see was that of her mother. But it was not as all welcoming."

"What happened?" Jason felt some sort of lump in his throat. With how this story was going, he could tell that there was no happy ending.

"A rare illness had the queen bedridden long before Alina returned. The princess stood by her side until finally, the queen passed away. And that was when Alina changed. . ." The Dark Signer's voice sound cold, and grim, "She became hardened and cold to her subjects, especially towards the male servants, to the extent of lashing at them for no reason. Though not often, the men would always be in danger of her wrath."

Jason could remember the hatred and fire in Alina's he first met her, and the frighten Michelangelo from awhile back. It made sense now.

"That would explain why I was almost her scratching post. But it still doesn't explain how you ended up a Dark Signer; and how you got locked up in here." Pointed out the grey-eyed duelist.

"Sometime afterward, she decided out of nowhere to cast me away. After serving the royal family for as long as I could remember, Alina discarded me and cast me out into the jungle," Jason gasped at the revelation as Devack continued with the story, watching the older man clutch his fists with stone-harden eyes, "I was angered by her rash decision that I looked to the Gargareans for guidance. In the moments I passed the border, I met someone who recognized my talents as a shaman and gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. That's where I entered my path as a Dark Signer. From there I practiced my skills for their benefit to the extent of seizing the Duel Monster Spirit World. But as you know, my plan was thwarted along with the war. With nowhere else to turn, I had no other choice but to return to my homelands, and hope the princess would take me back. But as you may have guessed, it didn't work out to well..." Devack's voice trailed off, and the two then suffered a long silence.

"...I had absolutely no idea." Jason muttered, leaning against one the walls. Devack made a sound of dry amusement, though he didn't look scornful.

"It's alright, I suppose. But you shouldn't be concerned about me, when you should worry about yourself." He warned, looking at the Signer- believe it or not- with honesty.

"I have a feeling they're not going to leave me in this cell, are they?" asked Jason, slumping his shoulders.

Devack shook his head, "All I could say is that you had better prepare to face the White Tiger."

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile. . .<strong>

Speaking of whom, the White Tiger herself was residing inside her extravagant bedroom, lying lazily across the side of her epicurean bed. It was tiring to have brought a criminal all the way to the castle to be thrown in the dungeon, especially when you have to haul him from the end of a chain riding bareback on your pet tiger. She had no idea why she bothered lounging around when there was a trial to take place in a matter of hours. But why bother? He was just some foreign vermin who was here to take away everything she swore on her late mother's grave to protect. His fate was sealed the moment he decided to set foot in her land. But it was not just him she was worried about; if he were to do as he pleased, his actions could encourage the few male servants to revolt against their masters. She could not have that either.

She took a glance at her servant, Michelangelo, who was kneeling at her side, filing her nails. His face held no emotions, but his green eyes focused on his master's nails. Silent and obedient; that's what Alina expected from all of her servants.

"Michelangelo!" the princess barked. The ginger-haired servant flinched at his master's sudden exclaim. She appreciated that he still knew how to instantly respond to her commands, "Tell me, how long have you served me?"

"Um, I think it was ten years ago, milady," he said, though his voice was rather quiet.

"And do you know how you came to be here?" asked the blue-haired royalist.

He was hesitant for a moment before continuing, "After I lost my. . ." His eyes turned glassy for the smallest moment ". . .mother to a fire, I was left to wander the jungle for days on end. That was until-"

"Hands." Sacred eyes blinked.

"Pardon me?"

"I do not remember telling you that you could stop moving your hands!" she snapped.

"Huh? Oh! A thousand apologies, your highness!" Michelangelo resumed tending to his mistress as he continued with his story, "The Queen found me that one night and was generous enough to take me in; and in return I would live the rest of my life as your servant. Even to this day I am eternally grateful that you still allow me to be of assistance." He said, bowing his head in respect.

"I am very happy to hear that," Alina reached over with her free hand and stroke against the lazing Nila's fur, whom in turn elicited a low and deep purr for her master, "And I prefer it stays that way. Because I would hate to find out that my servants are plotting against me, especially if it were to be by a male as lowly and spineless as you," Nila gave the red-haired servant a blustering growl as a response of her own to him, "And you of all people know what I would have to do if that were to happen, don't you?"

Michelangelo sat still, his breath caught in his throat as Alina's now-sharp-to-the-point nails racked slightly across his face, Alina's face serious with pursed lips. She stared into the servant's eyes, searching for something.

In those bright eyes, green as the leaves of the jungles, they held no hatred, or strife. They held neither depression, or loathing. Not even anger. They brimmed with fear, but peace was crossed into his green irises. Peace and loyalty, as strong as the will of a lion's. Alina's brows furred. How could someone as frighten as a scarab beetle, as weak and scrawny as this boy, posses the eyes of a warrior?

Alina despised the boy for that.

With great swiftness, the poor, unsuspecting teenager was thrown back by the power of Alina's swiping hand, his body tossed like a damp cloth and his back hitting the stoned wall. The slave held his pale hands to his eye, breathing harshly and shaking, his long bangs curtaining his face.

Alina's face held no remorse, watching the boy's frame rack and shiver with a small sliver of blood escaping the crack of his index and pointer fingers.

"Be lucky that I did not ask Nila to do that," she warned, her tiger growling itself, "Clean yourself up and return to your chores. Before the eve strikes, prepare me another bath." she ordered.

Knees buckled together, Michelangelo stood, removing one of his hands, said hand stained with crimson liquid. His uninjured eye, to Alina's cringe, still held that damned light of bravery.

"...Yes, milady." he wheezed, bowing his whole back before quickly fleeting the room. Alina inspected her nails, her nose scrunched as her nails were ruined.

"That damned slave. . ." she muttered, Nila only swishing her tail in response.

* * *

><p>"Honestly? She only did that to bring her point across?"<p>

". . . It's not as if I can fight back. She's royalty, Demetrius."

The older male shook his head, a slight scowl on his face as he pressed a wet cloth across Michelangelo's eye, the boy wincing at the stinging liquid.

"Dem, are you sure it's alright for you to do this? If they find out that you've practice medical studies, they'll-"

"Most likely shoot me where I stand? Tch," The black and long-haired medic rolled his brown eyes, one covered by his bangs, "I think they would do me a favor then. Better than living like some common roach," Wrapping a thick gauze diagonally across the red-head's left eye, he nodded, wiping his hands off the kilt of his tunic, "There. Keep that on for a few weeks. If you're lucky enough, you won't be blind in that eye."

Nodding, Michelangelo placed his reed back on his head and he followed Demetrius out of the servants' chambers, the both of them knowing they had jobs to perform.

"Hey, Dem? You seem more anxious than usual today. Is something wrong?" asked Michelangelo. Demetrius sighed, scratching the back of his neck.

"I've heard from Lady Valentine that her highness will be setting up the trails for the prisoner." he muttered.

"Prisoner?" asked his red-haired companion, trying to follow the taller man's strides.

"Yes. Some sort of foreigner. Not Gargarean, as much as I know, but he is said to be a danger to the tribe. Something about the air around him that will cause a riot amongst the slaves. Heh," Demetrius spared a small smirk, "I'd shake the man's hand if I'm given the chance. And I'd say that this will be best for us. It's about time we have the rights we were given by the gods."

"Demetrius! Hold your tongue!" scolded Michelangelo, shaking his head, "After all the honor we have of severing in the Queen's kingdom-"

"And what for it? Being some sort of slave? Being treated like animals?" muttered the brown-eyed servant, sighing when he saw he was scaring the younger, "Forgive me. You are still young. I should learn, since I am your senior," Turning a corner, the two walked into the courtyard, Demetrius now speaking quietly when a few Amazons drew near, "My point being that these trials are pointless. Our genders, who we are, what gender we posses, it is dying out, save for the Gargareans. I only fear for the young lad."

"Do you know what he looks like?" whispered Michelangelo. Demetrius gave a nod.

"From what I heard, his hair was the oddest combination of black and silver."

Michelangelo's healthy eye widen with fear.

'Jason!'

* * *

><p>The next couple of days that followed were long and quiet. Michelangelo was surprised, considering that the whole palace was usually rowdy.<p>

Nonetheless, the servant was up and ready by the kitchens, ready at his station to deliver Alina's breakfast, his eye already better, though according to Demetrius his eye would be keeping those three scars for the rest of his life. The redhead didn't mind. As long as he could see, he was at least grateful for that.

"Bring this to the prisoner in the lower West cell of the kingdom." muttered the cook, handing him a small plate of meat and fruit. Nodding, Michelangelo took the plate and walked down to the West prison cells, the millions of sealed doors towering over him. Reaching the last door, he nodded to the guards and they allowed him in.

Jason looked up to see Michelangelo standing with a small plate of food in his hands, "I take it you're here to deliver my last meal?" he asked sarcastically.

"I heard about what happened, Jason," the servant responded, "I think it was a good thing you surrendered when you did; it must have saved you a lot of trouble."

Jason lowered his head, "Apparently not enough trouble. They think I'm out to destroy their home or something. I wish I had figured out another way..." Michelangelo placed the plate on the ground. Jason's eyes widened a bit when he saw a straight gash across his right eye, "What happened to you?"

"Oh? Uh..." Michelangelo shied his eye away from Jason's sight, "I just slipped and fell over a thorn bush. It's no big deal."

Jason did not believe a word the servant said. It must have been a large thorn to make that scar. If Alina was the one who made that scar, them Michelangelo must have done something to upset her. But he did not look like someone who would mouth off toward someone. That concerned Jason a lot.

He stood up from off the floor, with little difficulties with his chains, "Look, I don't know what I gotta do but I have to see this Princess Alina again!" it was now Michelangelo's turn to widen his eyes, "Devack told me what happened, about when Alina was kidnapped and her mother passing away. What the Arcadia Movement did to her must have traumatized her so much to act this way! And I plan to help her get closure." hr sad firmly.

Michelangelo could not help but marvel in the man's courage. His master made her 'trauma' as Jason put it, a forbidden subject never to bring up. Never have anyone, Amazon or Gargarean, ever dared to help her through it. Yet this young man is willing to risk his life to help her, "...Could you really save her?" he asked, tilting his head.

"I don't know anything about this island, the Gargareans or the Amazons, but I don't care how bad you messed up no one should have that happen to him." Jason said, taking note of Michelangelo's scar.

The gingered servant covered his eye and looked away, "This may be a little difficult. The only way to even reach my master is to pass the three trials of Courage, Intelligence, and then Freedom. And in case you do not know, each trial involves a duel. You no doubt have your cards confiscated so you would have to use the one the princess had put together for the accused."

"If passing these so-called trials mean I can finally get out of these chains, and face Alina once and for all, then I'll adapt."

"I am glad you have said that," both males' hearts skipped a beat as they spun toward the source of then voice. The Captain of the Guard Valentine was standing in the open doorway, "...Because it's time."

* * *

><p>With Valentine and several other guards leading them, Jason and Michelangelo walked side by side as they were led past the courtyard, several other servants, slaves, and Amazons watching them quietly.<p>

"Where are you taking us?" asked Jason.

"To where we hold the three trials, boy. Her majesty has prepared the arena for this occasion, in which several others will have the pleasure of you failing." snide Valentine, glaring at Jason from the corner of her eye.

"I won't fail." muttered Jason, only to be laughed at by some of the guards.

"It's really is amazing that you stood up to Lady Valentine." whispered Michelangelo, eyes filled with worry.

"Where I come from, it doesn't matter if you're male or female. Both genders treat each other equally." whispered Jason.

"Did you say something?" asked his red-haired companion.

"Ah, never mind." mumbled Jason, not wanting to warp the slave's mind. The group finally came to a halt when they reached a giant coliseum that was tangled in vines and large leaves, cracking marble and sandstone structuring the arena. Valentine turned to the duo.

"The Queen and the arena await you, boy. And as for you," Valentine narrowed her eyes at Michelangelo, "You will be his Guide."

"Guide?" asked Jason, head tilted curiously.

"I will be looking over and keeping you under surveillance." informed Michelangelo, head still bowed.

"Surveillance?" Jason was now even more confused.

"In case you try to escape. But, I wouldn't worry about that, even with someone as weak as this servant. Servant boy, inject him with the serum and prepare him for the trail of Courage." growled Valentine, tossing the keys to Jason's shackles to Michelangelo, the latter fumbling them a bit before he finally caught them.

"Y-Yes, Lady Valentine," mumbled Michelangelo, bowing his head.

Pulled by the collar around his neck, Jason coughed as he was tugged and dragged into the coliseum by the two of the guards with Michelangelo following behind silently. Dragged down dusty halls and stoned floors, the four finally reached a stoned-build room. Once shoved in the room, the guards left the two.

"What did she mean by a serum?" Jason never ceased to dodge beating around the bush. Michelangelo sighed, walking across the room as he pulled open the only crate in the room, pulling out a corked bottle of a black liquid and a small knife.

"This is the poison taken from the seven-spotted viper, one of the most deadly snakes that inhabits the jungle. As a competitor, this liquid must be applied to an open wound in order to be slipped into your blood stream." explained the servant.

"Wait, what!? I need to have poison in my bloodstream?" asked Jason in disbelief, his eyes on the bottle his nervous friend held.

"Yes. As rules of the trials, my master also wishes to test the wills of the challengers. Therefore, she has them injected with the poison, to see if their strength and will can keep them alive throughout the trials. The poison is strong enough to kill a warrior in a few hours," said Michelangelo, suddenly pulling off one of the berries from his head reed and squishing it in his palm. Holding the pulped berry in the liquid, and squeezing the pulpy juice out with a few drops spill, the boy shook it before it turned into a obsidian-purple, "However, since I am your Guide, I might as well level the playing field. Now," The green-eyed slave held out his hand, "Let me see your wrist, Jason."

"OK, just how did you help me out here? You're still going to cut me and give me poison!" snapped Jason urgently.

"Yes, but because of the juice of the Kiku berry, the poison has been tampered, and it will only give you the symptoms of what the poison would do to you. It won't even kill you." assured Michelangelo with a grin. Jason eyed the purple liquid again before looking skeptically at Michelangelo.

"Look, I'm not being ungrateful or anything but, why are you helping me out here, Michelangelo? Won't you be killed when they find out what you've done?" he asked. Michelangelo nodded before smiling gratefully.

"Yes, most likely. But I. . . I don't care what happens to me!" Gripping the dagger, the younger boy looked at the older confidently, "Jason, I just simply can't poison you. No, I can't poison anyone, period! Not even my worst enemy! When the first thought came to mind, I thought it was because I was afraid. But it wasn't that. It was because you are one of the only friends I have, Jason," The bottle shook in his pale hands and the young teen let out a sigh, "I can never do that. Besides, you are one of the few I've met that have this sort of will, this sort of strength that can actually turn my master back to how she was." he said.

Jason stared at the young man before shaking his head.

"Michelangelo, if you get hurt-"

"Then it's on my own responsibility. Please, Jason, I want to help you. Which is why I've kept this for you," Crouching to the ground, the redhead took the knife, took off his shoes, and sliced open his furred moccasins, a total of forty-five cards falling from the shoes. Shuffling the cards into a full deck, Michelangelo held the future duelist the deck, "These are cards I've been keeping, ever since I was a child," He held them to Jason, "I know that they're not much, but they should give you a better chance at winning."

Jason looked at the younger teen seriously, "Michelangelo, you're risking so much."

The green-eyed servant smiled knowingly.

"As mother once said, 'You have to risk going too far to discover just how far you can really go.' If I lose my life, then that means I have gone farther than anyone. Now, please Jason, we must get you prepared." he said.

Jason held his own arm, sighing to himself before holding his wrist out. Carefully, his orange-haired friend held his wrist and made one quick and shallow cut, pouring the purified liquid into the bleeding wound. Shivering at how his whole arm went numb for a good ten seconds, before he regained mobility again.

"Good, your skin is paling and your eyes are looking sunken. You look poisoned," Michelangelo nodded, and Jason would have laughed if the younger was joking. The doors were yanked open and Jason gave a choke as he was grabbed by his chains again, forcefully being pulled out by the guards. Scurrying a little behind him, knowing that he had to got back to his queen's side.

'Good luck, Jason' Thought Michelangelo, praying that his friend would survive.

* * *

><p>When Jason was lead back outside he was met with the view of a large gantry hanging by four intersecting catwalks. He looked down the pit below as he was being pushed across the bridge, to see a pride of lions and tigers stalking around, licking their chomps as if he was their next meal. And when they reached the platform the guards shoved him to the ground.<p>

He picked himself up and looked at his surroundings. The stadium looked filled to capacity with the natives of this land. Over a thousand females on the stands jeering and laughing at him. Standing in the other side of the arena stood a giant stone podium holding an imperial box. The women quieted as its red curtains opened and finally revealed the host of the event, Princess Alina, as she walked out onto the balcony. The were all silent and waiting their ruler to give her word...

"Fellow Amazon sisters!" she called out, "You have been gathered here today to witness yet another example of our iron-clad warrior kingdom's power!" her eyes were dropped from her loyal masses to their entertainment, "This man you see before you is found guilty of attempting arrogation of my throne; and now he stands today to face judgement!" the women's cheers became an uproar before Alina raised her hand to calm them down, "As you may have known from last time, he will be facing three trials to earn his freedom! And we will see if this one has the strength of will to pass the trials? Or will he die like all those before him? ...Let us find out today, and begin the Trial of Courage!" the audience cheered, eager to watch this rare spectacle, "Now bring out the first judge: Kalis the Dunamis!" the opposing gates opened and Jason's opponent walked out.

The opponent in which Alina referred to was a large, heavily muscular woman with spiky dark-brown hair with its back extension in a ponytail. She wore golden-yellow bands on her upper-arms and padding over her knees. She had bandaged wrapped around her hands and feet, as well as black-and-blue-patterned bands around her wrists and lower-thighs. She wore an aqua-blue-clothed bikini and loincloth which were connected by a linked leather strapping. The giant stood in her position on in the arena as she looked at Jason with a cocky grin, "So you're the wannabe usurper I get the pleasure of destroying in a duel, huh?" she boasted, "Ha! This won't take long at all!" Kalis sported a golden bracelet, similar to the one Valentine had, with a green gem ornamented in it. It glowed as it began to change shape until it was replaced with a duel-disk.

"Alright..." the mark on Jason's arm glowed and he, just like before, was able to summon his duel-disk. He placed Michelangelo's deck inside, and readied himself to duel. "Let's do this."

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**YuGiOh 5D's: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Beta Reader: Mewstar0013**

* * *

><p>Jason was now standing in the Kyria Colosseum, ready to begin the Trial of Courage, where he would face his first opponent, Kalis the Brave.<p>

**Jason: 4000**

**Kalis: 4000**

"You can go first if you like," Kalis said, sneering at him, "You'll need every advantage you're given against what I got!"

"Thanks; I draw," Jason looked over his hand and was not entirly pleased with what he had; but he decided to make use with what he had, "I summon Wolf Axewielder(4/ATK: 1650/DEF: 1000) in ATK mode!" A portal opened up on the arena floor, summoning a humanoid wolf-like creature armed with a shield in one hand and a large axe in the other (ATK: 1650), "That's my turn."

"It's my turn!" Kalis drew her next card, "I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf(4/ATK: 2000/DEF: 100)!" A four-armed wolf-based humanoid appeared, with black tattoos visible on his white fur (ATK: 2000), "Attack that Axewielder with Four-Armed Swipe!" Wolf Axewielder crossed his shield against his weapon as the Warwolf lunged at him. The white beast managed to grab the Axewielder's arms with two of its own, and with little resistance managed to spread them out from Axewielder's body. Then with its two remaining forearms it sliced the Axewielder with its red-tipped claws, destroying it.

**Jason: 3650**

**Kalis: 4000**

"I'll play a card face-down and end my turn!" A reverse-card appeared behind the Warwolf. Jason gave a quiet curse under his breath, shaking off the small loss.

"Alright then, my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I set a monster in DEF mode!" A reversed monster appeared in place of Axewielder. However, it suddenly flipped over and revealed itself as an empty suit of blue armor, kneeling with a shield and sword in either hand (3/ATK: 300/DEF: 1200), "What?! But how's that possible?!"

"Because of my Light of Intervention trap, that's how!" Kalis' card flipped over to reveal the continuous-trap, "So every monster you summon will end up in face-up position! That means no sneaky flip-effects from you!" She barked with laughter, her fellow ladies-in-arms laughing as well.

Jason groaned, "I end my turn."

"Then I draw!" Kalis started her next turn, feeling empowered, "I summon Nin-Ken Dog(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1000) in ATK mode!" A brown-furred hybrid dog with red and blue ninja attire appeared (ATK: 1800), "And now to take care of that little defense of yours! I activate the spell Stop Defense!" In an instant, Jason's Hark Armor stood up (ATK: 300), "Nin-Ken Dog, scrap that little piece of metal!" The ninja beast-warrior drew its sword and sliced through the empty armor in one swift motion. It then exploded, causing Jason a huge bit of damage as pieces of hologram armor hit him.

**Jason: 2150**

**Kalis: 4000**

"Gene-Warped Warwolf, it's your turn! Attack him directly!" The white beast drew in all four of its claws, and delivered a barrage of punched to Jason, ending with an uppercut that sent him flying.

**Jason: 150**

**Kalis: 4000**

Jason landed hard onto his back. All he could hear was the the masses on the stands, and laughing at him with high crackles. Even Kalis stood there laughing to the heavens. "C'mon! Are you gonna duel or does that mean you're surrendering?!"

Jason rose from the ground, body still aching, and returned to his position on the playing field, "Does this answer your question?" he muttered as he drew his next card, and the scanned over his hand along with it, 'This might help me out.' "I summon M-Warrior #1(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 500) in ATK mode!" A blue-fitted warrior in a gold helmet appeared with a jousting spear in his hand (ATK: 1000). But all that would do was give the audience something else to laugh at.

"You should have begged our queen for mercy but you decide to embarrass yourself by playing another weak monster?" Kalis questioned through her laughing, clutching her sides.

"I'm not done yet! I equip him with these two spell cards: Demotion and Amulet of Ambition!" M-Warrior was given a golden, star-like trinket with a large eye in the center, placed around his neck, "M-Warrior, attack Gene-Warped Warwolf!"The warrior then advanced with his javelin in both hands.

M-Warrior: (ATK: 2500)

"Hey! What happened to its ATK points?!" Kalis questioned, bewildered.

"It's because of the Amulet of Ambition's effect! So every time the monster equipped battles, their ATK increases by the difference in the level of the equipped monster and the monster it battles, to attune of 500 points per level!" Explained Jason, giving a slight smile.

"Then you must not have done your math, because the difference would have been added up to a mere 500 points!" Shouted Kalis with a smirk.

"Now with my Demotion spell card! This equip card downgrades the equipped monster's level by 2!"

"What?!"

"Now attack with Forceful Thrust!" M-Warrior jammed his weapon through the werewolf's chest, effectively destroying it.

**Jason: 150**

**Kalis: 3500**

Kalis scoffed, "Lucky shot..."

"Finally, I place one card face-down! It's your move!" Jason said, placing down the card and ending his move.

Kalis drew her next card, "And I'll make sure that'll be the last move your made! First I'll play the spell card Pot of Greed to draw two more card from my deck! Then I summon Gladiator Beast Andal (4/ATK: 1900/DEF: 1500) in ATK mode!" A large armored black bear warrior appeared (ATK: 1900), "Next, I equip it with a stronger spell: Mask of Brutality!" A mask with a wide toothy grin and claws in place of its eyes was put on the beast-warrior's face. A low snarl could be heard from behind the mask (ATK: 2900), "And with that extra boost, he can easily overcome your warrior even with that amulet! Now attack!" Andal then went charging in, its mind full of rage.

"I activate the Reinforcements trap card! This gives my monster a 500 ATK point boost for this turn!" M-Warrior managed to evade Andal's ferocious swipes and, with his new power-boost (ATK: 2500-3000) thrust its weapon through the black bear.

**Jason: 150**

**Kalis: 3400**

"Whatever! I'll just switch Nin-Ken Dog to DEF mode and activate Two-Man Cell Battle from my hand!" Kalis growled as she played the continuous spell. She was getting far beyond annoyed with this male trying to out-best her, "Now I place a card face-down and let my spell's effect kick in, which lets me summon a level-4 normal-monster from my hand, like my Dunames Dark Witch(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1050), who I'll also play in DEF mode!" A woman in red armor appeared with her white metallic wings furled around her (DEF: 1050). "I'll end my turn at that!"

"Then it's my move!" Jason started his next turn, looking at the card and his hand, "And I activate my face-down Miracle Locus trap!" he called as he revealed his reverse-card, "When this card is activated, you get to draw an extra card from your deck. But that also give my warrior a chance to attack an extra monster this turn, with 1000 more ATK points as well (ATK: 2000)! Now attack!" The Warrior gave a battle cry and dashed forward with his weapon ready. He was about to pierce the Dark Witch, but was then restrained by a group of black chains which suddenly appeared from the ground. They coiled and strained around his ankles and arms. Jason gave a dry huff as his opponent laughed.

"Too bad! I activated my Shadow Spell trap card!" Kalis boasted as she revealed her face-down, "So not only he can't attack or change his battle-mode, he loses 700 ATK points as well"

M-Warrior #1: (ATK: 300)

"In that case I better put up a proper defense. I summon M-Warrior #2(3/ATK: 500/DEF: 1000) in DEF mode!" A red-fitted warrior wearing gold armor pieces appeared, couched and silent, (DEF: 1000), "Now I'll end my turn with 2 face-downs!"

"Then I draw!" Kalis started her turn, grinning with all of her teeth "I'd like to thank you for drawing that extra card! 'Cause now I can activate the spell Enemy Controller, and use its effect to switch your second M-Warrior to ATK mode!" The red-and-gold warrior rose from the floor (ATK: 500), "Next I'll sacrifice Nin-Ken Dog to summon Summoned Skull(6/ATK: 2500/DEF: 1200)!" Nin-Ken disappeared and was replaced by a large violet-skinned fiend with white bone armor (ATK: 2500), "Summoned Skull, attack that lousy warrior of his and end this duel!" the gator spread its metal wings and flew at M-Warrior #2 with its claws ready. But before it can slice into Jason's monster, the blue warrior managed to put himself between the two despite being bound by the chains (ATK: 2800). He then pointed his javelin at the fiend, who was still in motion before it allowed itself to be pierced through the heart.

**Jason: 150**

**Kalis: 3200**

"Wait a minute! My Summoned Skull was supposed to attack your weaker monster!" Kalis argued.

"And it would have, if it wasn't for my Shift trap card!" Jason said as he revealed his trap, giving a small smile, "So thanks to this, I was able to switch the target of your attack away from M-Warrior #2!"

Kalis growled, "I'll end my turn then." She narrowed her eyes at Jason, clenching her fists.

"Then it's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I equip M-Warrior #2 with the Stim-Pack equip-spell, giving him 700 ATK points!" M2's muscles bulged under his red jumpsuit (ATK: 1200), "Now, M-Warriors, attack Kalis directly!" the two warriors rushed in and slashed at Kalis one after the other.

**Jason: 150**

**Kalis: 1000**

"And with that, I end my turn!"

"I draw!" Kalis drew her next card, "I activate the spell, Reasoning! Now you have to declare a monsters level. Then I can take cards from the top of my deck until I draw a monster! And if that monster's level is the same as the declared level, it gets sent to the graveyard. Otherwise, I can summon it straight to thr field! Now call it!"

"Alright, I choose level-4!"

"Lucky me, my first card seemed to be a level-8 monster! I summon Gogiga Gagagigo(8/ATK: 2950/DEF: 2800)!" a large portal appeared releasing a large red-scaled lizard-like being with golden plates of cybernetics over parts of its body (ATK: 2950), "I think your luck's run out! Gogiga Gagagigo, attack the second M-Warrior with Relentless Crush!" the giant lizard reached out for the gold-and-red warrior with a golden claw.

"I activate the (5D's) M-Field trap card!" Jason called as he revealed a normal-trap showing M-Warriors 1 and 2, crossing their swords from inside a voltage-cracking force-field, "And with this, I can negate your attack!" the two warriors crossed their swords and created a barrier around the two to hold back the monster's hand, "Also, when both M-Warrior #1 and M-Warrior #2 are face-up on the field, I can set it face-down again to use next turn!" the card flipped back down.

Kalis snarled, "Then I end my turn."

Jason then drew his next card, "M-Warriors 1 and 2! Attack Kalis and the rest of her life-points!" the two warriors made one final consecutive attack against the large Amazoness to end the match.

**Jason: 150**

**Kalis: 0**

"No..." Kalis stood agasp before she dropped to her knees. Jason was given no time to relax as the crowd started bantering him again, "So you managed to beat this trial. But let's see what that deck of yours can do in a test of intelligence." she rose from the ground and exited from the arena, spatting as she did so.

* * *

><p>Alina watched the entire thing sitting on her throne, with that unchanged expression on her face, "So he managed to defeat Kalis using a single weak monster. Perhaps even a warrior as pathetic as an M-Warrior could overcome what is clearly stronger than him; no account to you, of course." she said to Michelangelo who was standing beside her as he fanned her with a large feathered fan.<p>

The redhead secretly smiled, watching Jason catch his breath before his next challenge. 'Say what you will, my queen. But I have faith that Jason will show you how strong the deck he's using can be.' He was gleeful on the inside, glad that he was able to help his new friend, even if the gesture was little.

"Let's see how he fares in the next trial," Alina stood from her chair toward the arena, "Let's begin the Trial of Intelligence!"

* * *

><p>The women cheered as the next opponent entered the ring. Jason had noticed this woman earlier in the week. "I know you; you came by Chakra's house the day I was arrested."<p>

"That is correct. I am the Princess' personal adviser Isabelle. But on the battlefield, I am known as Sophia the Wise," Isabelle replied, who then summoned her own duel-disk, "And by her iron-clad will you must be punished!" She shouted with a passion.

Jason sighed as he reshuffled Michelangelo's deck, "...Alright, do your worst, then."

"DUEL!"

**Jason: 4000**

**Sophia: 4000**

"I will make the first move," Sophia drew her first card, "I set a monster in DEF position and four cards face-down," five reversed cards appeared, "That ends my first turn!"

"Alright, then it's my turn-"

"I activate two of my face-downs, the trap Narrow Pass!" Two of Sophia's reverses flipped up, "With Narrow Pass in play, the amount of monsters we each could summon by normal means has been reduced to two."

"So the best we can do is special-summon, is it? Fine by me. I activate a ritual-spell card, Synthesis Spell! By sacrificing Giga-Tech Wolf and M-Warrior #1 from my hand, I'm allowed to summon the ritual-monster (1) Lycanthrope(6/ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800)!" The blue warrior and a mechanical wolf briefly appeared before they were replaced by a ferocious-looking wolfman with dark-gray fur (ATK: 2400), "Now attack that face-down card!" The werewolf howled and charged in, slicing the card in two. That card was then replaced by a large and slender snake-like creature, which then proceeded to entangling itself around Lycanthrope. Even with all the wolfman's might he could not free himself from the creature, "What kind of special-ability is that?!"

"That would be the fiend-type monster known as (2) Kiseitai(2/ATK: 300/DEF: 800)," Sophia explained, looking at him coolly, "And as soon it's attacked, it becomes an equipment card for that attacking monster, which in your case is Lycanthrope."

"In that case I'll end my turn with a face-down." A reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn," Sophia drew her next card, "And the effect of Solemn Wishes activates, giving me 500 life-points each time I draw a card."

**Jason: 4000**

**Sophia: 4500**

"Next, I will summon (3) Fire Princess(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 1500) in DEF position," young woman in a fiery red robe appeared with a wooden staff in her hand (DEF: 1500), "And I shall end my turn there."

"Okay, it's my turn-"

"Which activates Kiseitai's effect during the standby-phase, adding half of the ATK of the monster it's equipped to to my life-points. And since your Lycanthrope has 2400 ATK points, I receive 1200 life-points." Interpreted Sophia, a golden light surrounding her as she received the life-points.

**Jason: 4000**

**Sophia: 5700**

"That also trigger's the effect of Fire Princess, which activates anytime my life-points would increase. This effect inflicts 500 points of damage to your life-points." The Fire Princess launched a ball of fire at Jason, who shielded himself with his duel-disk, although it did not shield away the heat. The black-haired duelist groaned, sweating from the near flames.

**Jason: 3500**

**Sophia: 5700**

The Signer soon rose up off the floor, "So that's how it is, huh? Fine with me," Jason then continued his turn, "I summon (4) Plague Wolf(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) in ATK mode!" A rabid-looking black wolf appeared (ATK: 1000), "And once per turn, I can double his ATK points, making him stronger than Fire Princess!" The wolf snarled as its power doubled, almost foaming in the mouth as it looked ravenous(ATK: 2000), "Now attack with Rabid Fang!" Plague Wolf leap at the fiery princess.

"I activate the trap card Scrap-Iron Scarecrow," Sophia played her trap and summoned a rusty makeshift scarecrow, "And once activated, it negates your monster's attack," The wolf stopped in its tracks in front of the scarecrow. It whimpered from its appearance before it retreated to its home field, "Finally, it's set back face-down." The scarecrow disappeared and the card flipped back down.

"Then it's Lycanthrope's turn to attack! And since Scrap-Iron Scarecrow works only once a turn, you got nothing else to protect your monster!"

"Are you sure?" Sophia gave a brief smile, eyes flashing, "I activate the trap Nightmare Wheel!" As Lycanthrope lunged at the princess, a large demonic skull holding a metal wheel appeared on the spot Lycanthrope was standing. Four sets of chains shot out and wrapped around its wrists and ankles, preventing it from grasping Fire Princess and yanked it toward the Nightmare Wheel, fastening it tightly against the mill. The wheel began to turn and slowly accelerated, the werewolf being turned along with it, "And while Lycanthrope is connected to that device, it cannot attack."

"I end my turn," Jason groaned. Then Plague Wolf destroyed itself, due to the after effect of its special-ability.

"Then it's my move," Sophia started her next turn, "And that activates the effect of Solemn Wishes, giving me 500 more life-points."

**Jason: 3500**

**Sophia: 6200**

"That therefore triggers the effect of Fire Princess, taking 500 more points out of your life-points." Fire Princess fired another fireball at Jason.

**Jason: 3000**

**Sophia: 6200**

"I activate the continuous-spell Vengeful Bog Spirit. And as long as this spell is in play, no monster with can attack on the turn it is summoned. And with that, I end my turn," But when Jason drew his next card, she continued, "And during your standby-phase, the effect of Kiseki activates, granting half of Lycanthrope's ATK points to my life-points, which therefore triggers Fire Princess' effect, inflicting 500 points of damage." When Sophia was granted life-points, another fireball was hurled at Jason.

**Jason: 2500**

**Sophia: 7400**

"Finally, my recent addition, Nightmare Wheel activates, dealing 500 more points of damage to you," The hollow eyes on Nightmare Wheel's skull began to glow and crackle with energy, "Time for a pop-quiz: the Nightmare Wheel is modeled a torture device used in the Middle Ages. What is the name of that device?"

"Huh?" Jason didn't see this coming, "Uhh..."

"Time's up. The answer is the St. Catherine Wheel, in which it was used by lashing the condemned to a wagon-wheel, and beating them with a club or an iron baton?"

"Wait a minute, what?!"

"That's it for the quiz; now for the pop," the Nightmare Wheel released its energy and shocked Jason. Jason groaned as the electricity bit at his skin, shooting into his heart and making the insides of his body turn squirm and spasm.

**Jason: 2000**

**Sophia: 7400**

"Alright, no problem..." Jason groaned, shaking off the pain, "I activate the Different Dimension Capsule spell card! With this, I can choose any card from my deck and put it in the capsule!" A blue, yellow and orange Egyptian sarcophagus appeared out of the ground. Then a card appeared and was placed inside the box before closing, "And on my second standby-phase, that card will be added to my hand! I end my turn there."

"It's my turn now," Sophia drew her next card, "And that triggers Solemn Wishes' effect, which in turn activates Fire Princess' effect. That means 500 points for me, and 500 less points for you."

**Jason: 1500**

**Sophia: 7900**

"Next, I activate the field-spell Mausoleum of the Emperor," The field was suddenly surrounded by giant stone spires that erected from the ground, "And as long as this spell is in play, both players may pay 1000 life-points per tribute to summon a high-level monster from their hand that requires that many tributes. So by sacrificing 2000 life-points, I summon (5) Guardian Angel Joan(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2000)!" Two stone statues appeared before they disintegrated and created a portal. Then beautiful winged fairy knight rose from the arena floor and extended her wings wide (ATK: 2800).

"This can't be good." Jason muttered.

"And now Guardian Angel Joan will attack your Lycanthrope," the angel raised her arms and created a ball of light. "Pop Quiz: who is the character of the monster Guardian Angel Joan?"

"Huh?!" Not another!

"Answer: Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who led the French army to several important victories in the Hundred Years' War. She was then burned at the stake at age 19. Another failing grade for you." Joan launched the ball of light at Lycanthrope and destroyed the werewolf.

**Jason: 1100**

**Sophia: 7900**

"Guardian Angel Joan's special effect now activates, increasing my life-points by the destroyed monster's ATK points."

**Jason: 1100**

**Sophia: 10300**

"Next comes Fire Princess' ability, dealing 500 more points of damage." The princess launched another fireball.

**Jason: 600**

**Sophia: 10300**

"And with that, I end my turn." Sophia graciously waved the the cheering crowd, smiling with victory.

"Okay, it's my turn..." 'Let's hope I could pull out a game-changer ' "I draw!" Jason drew his next card and looked at it, "All I could do is summon this: M-Warrior #2 in DEF mode." The red-and-gold warrior knelt in defense-position as Jason ended his turn.

Sophia started her turn again and drew her next card, and let the effect of Solumn Wishes and Fire Princess activate.

**Jason: 100**

**Sophia: 10800**

"Guardian Angel Joan, attack his M-Warrior," The angel obeyed and formed another ball of light, "With one-hundred life-points left, it is about time you said goodbye." Joan launched the orb at the warrior.

"That's not gonna happen! I activate the trap Justi-Break!" Jason announced as he revealed his trap card, "And once activated, it destroys every monster on the field!" After Joan's effect was negated, every single monster was destroyed.

Sophia scoffed, "No matter. You'll lose eventually. I end my turn."

Jason sighed in relief, 'That was a close one. But I'm practically backed into a corner here. I'd better summon a monster so I can turn the tables.'

"You must trust me when I say it is hopeless," Sophia said, inspecting her nails, "Now that you have exceeded Narrow Pass' limit, you cannot summon any more monsters. And even if you could summon a monster this turn, it will not be able to attack due to the Vengeful Bog Spirit card in play. So I can simply wait until my next turn to burn away the rest of your life-points. It's pointless to keep fighting.'

'It may seem pointless to her, but there's one thing she didn't count on.' "It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "It's been 2 turns since Different Dimension Capsule's been activated. And now the card inside is added to my hand!" Jason placed the card into his hand, "Now to put this card into good use! I activate the spell Heavy Storm!" with the coming of that next spell came a large gust of wing, "And with the power of this card, each and every spell and trap is instantly destroyed!" It all became a massive vortex which blew away all spell/trap cards on the field, especially on Sophia's field.

"You're only delaying the inevitable," Sophia stated, still unimpressed, "I still have much more life-points than you."

"Then it's time I turned the tables, with this! I activate the spell card Reversal Quiz!" the said card appeared on his field, "Now I can look at the top card in my deck and declare if it's a monster, spell or trap card! And if it's the right type of card, our life-points will be exchanged!" Jason picked up the top card and looked at it. "Pitch-Black Warwolf, monster!"

**Jason: 10800**

**Sophia: 100**

"That ends my turn!"

"Fine," Sophia drew her next card, "I place one card face-down," a reverse-card appeared, 'As soon as he attacks, my Dimension Wall will end this farce until I regain my footing...'

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "And I summon the (6) Pitch-Black Warwolf(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 600) to the field in ATK mode!" A black wolf in savage armor plating appeared, wielding a full scarlet sword with a black tinting, standing on its hind legs with the stance of a proud warrior (ATK: 1600), "Now my wolf will attack you directly and end this duel!" The black wolf warrior carded in with sword in both hands.

"I activate my trap, Dimension Wall!" Sophia played her trap card, but was frozen in place by a course of black electricity, "Huh?"

"I forgot to tell you, when Pitch-Black Warwolf attack, every trap card is canceled out until the end of the battle-phase!" Jason stated as the wolf brought its sword down on Sophia.

**Jason: 10800**

**Sophia: 0**

Sophia stood on the field, with a calm and composed face, not exactly how Jason would expect his opponent to react after a loss.

"I didn't think you would best my duel deck. It's been a long time since someone has passed the trial of intelligence " she said with a smile, "Nevertheless, I can guarantee your defeat in the hands of your next opponent," she turned around to leave the arena, "It would be wise to be cautious."

* * *

><p>Alina scraped her nails against the stone edge of the balcony, frustrated that he managed to best two of her strongest warriors. And what was even more infuriating was that he did it with that sickening sense of courage he expressed. There was one more trial left and she wondered why that man had not started to tremble. Most males who faced the trials in the pass would go as far as the second trial before passing out from the combined tension and the poison coursing through them.<p>

"He should be finished by now. And yet, he still stands. How do you think this is possible, Michelangelo?" She asked, looking at her servant as he fanned her.

"Perhaps he is far more different that other's, m'lady?" Michelangelo looked innocent, but the queen could somehow tell that something was hiding in his words, "With what has happened so far, he might be able to pull through."

"You were assigned to be his guide. Did you inject him with the serum?" Asked the blue-haired maiden, glaring at Michelangelo, who looked away once.

"O-Of course, my queen. I'm as confused as you are." He said, bowing his head. Alina grabbed his by his long hair, pulling him to they were face-to-face.

"I swear, if I find out you had done anything to give this worthless male an advantage, your punishment will be far more server than being fed to the lions." She growled, throwing him back. Ignoring him as he hit the ground, she stood up once more and raised her arms in a sort of wing-stance.

"Let the last trial begin! The trial of freedom shall commence!"

Michelangelo stood up, holding his bruised rib, and walking close to the balcony. His eyes widen as he spotted Jason's opponent.

"That's-"

* * *

><p>"-Chakra?!"<p>

Indeed did his kind fake master stood at the other side of the field, looking at him with her sad brown eyes.

"Jason, I'm sorry." She whispered, her duel disk coming to life.

"Chakra, why?" Asked Jason, the kind Amazon only looking away and quietly huffing.

"Be prepared, prisoner!" Yelled Alina from her throne, smirking at the duelist's shocked expression, "She is one of the greatest, and you are sure to fall!"

**DUEL-MON DATABASE**

**(1) Lycanthrope**

**Stats: [Beast-Warrior/Ritual/Effect] Level 6 ATK/2400 DEF/1800**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: This card can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card, "Synthesis Spell". When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, inflict 200 damage to your opponent for each Normal Monster in your Graveyard.  
><strong>

**(2) Kiseitai**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] Level 2 ATK/300 DEF/800**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Description: When your opponent's monster attacks this card in face-down Defense Position, this card becomes an Equip Spell Card equipped to the attacking monster (No damage calculation is conducted). During each of your opponent's Standby Phases, increase your Life Points by half of the ATK of the monster equipped with this card.  
><strong>

**(3) Fire Princess  
><strong>

**Stats: [Pyro/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1300 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Description: Each time you gain Life Points, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.  
><strong>

**(4) Plague Wolf  
><strong>

**Stats: [Zombie/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1000 DEF/1000**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Description: When your opponent's monster attacks this card in face-down Defense Position, this card becomes an Equip Spell Card equipped to the attacking monster (No damage calculation is conducted). During each of your opponent's Standby Phases, increase your Life Points by half of the ATK of the monster equipped with this card.  
><strong>

**(5) Guardian Angel Joan  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] Level 7 ATK/2800 DEF/2000**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Description: When your opponent's monster attacks this card in face-down Defense Position, this card becomes an Equip Spell Card equipped to the attacking monster (No damage calculation is conducted). During each of your opponent's Standby Phases, increase your Life Points by half of the ATK of the monster equipped with this card.  
><strong>

**(6) Pitch-Black Warwolf  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast-Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1600 DEF/600**

**Attribute: DARK**

****Description: Your opponent cannot activate Trap Cards during the Battle Phase.**  
><strong>

**DUEL-MON TRIVIA-**

**Hey duelists! Did you know:**

**Kiseitai's name translates to 'Mind Parasite'. Parasites often dwell in one's intestines, while this card resembles an intestinal flatworm.**

**Please Read and Review.  
><strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**YuGiOh 5D's: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Beta Reader: Mewstar0013**

* * *

><p>Jason breath was caught in his throat. After two rigorous matches with the Princess' top fighter, and her personal adviser. He was now standing in front of the second-to-first person he had met(the first was the Amazon warrior who tried to take his head) ever since he woke up on this island, the one who nursed him back to health, and the one who took care of him before the princess came and took him away. In his third and final trial for his freedom was none other than the girl Chakra. He didn't know he could be those shocked in his life, his hands shaking the slightest and his jaw threatening to fall.<p>

"By that expression you have been making I take it that you are surprised!" Princess Alina called to him, a vicious smirk on her face. "Well regardless, this girl will represent your Trial of Freedom! You may have defeated my other warriors, but my last duelist will ensure you will never run free on my island! But before we get started, Guards! Hurry and prepare the chains!" She snapped.

A few minutes later, both Jason and Chakra had shackles attached to their wrists and necks. A long set of chains were connected to them, reaching past the arena floor and down into the moat.

"So, what are these chains all about?" Jason wondered aloud.

The Princess ignored him, "The preparations are complete! Now let the last trial begin!" the multitude of female citizens roared in excitement as they were about to witness more entertainment.

High above, Alina seated herself back on her throne, looking to her servant, "Take note, Michalangelo; no male has ever try to controvert my kingdom and got away with it. And this one will be no different." She swore. The boy could only gulp and nod, scared out of his mind.

"So, uh, I guess it's too late to try to talk this out?" Jason pleaded.

"All I have to say to you is that you have better brace yourself," Chakra stated coldly, "So expect no mercy from me."

Jason sighed and reshuffled Michelangelo's deck, his faith hoping the cards would pull him through "Alright then, let's go."

**Jason: 8000**

**Chakra: 8000**

"I will make the first move!" Chakra declared and drew her sixth card, "And to start, I summon (1) Man Beast of Ares(3/ATK: 500/DEF: 500) in ATK mode!" the monster summoned was a large brown minotaur-like creature in dirty blue robes. It growled as it smashed its fists against each other (ATK: 500), "Next, I set five cards," five reverse-cards appeared, filling Chakra's spell/trap zone to capacity, "I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn!" Jason drew his sixth card, "And I summon Silver Fang(3/ATK: 1200/DEF: 800)!" a wolf with pure-white fur appeared, sharp fangs seeping with foam (ATK: 1200), "Attack Man Beast of Ares with Fang of Ferocity!" the wolf sprung forth with its fangs ready to pierce the minotaur.

"You walked right into my trap!" Chakra announced as she activate her cards, all five of them. Each one launched a chain rope and wrapped themselves around Jason's wrists, ankles and waist, with a yellow x-shaped crest attached to his chest by small golden chains.

"What the heck is this?!" Jason demanded, trying to break the chains.

"When you attacked, you triggered my series of face-downs: Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, Chain Detonation, (5D's) Silver Pot of Chains, Accumulated Fortune, and Chain Strike!"

"Yeah, but why play them all at once? What do they do?"

"Nothing much by themselves, but when they're used at the same time, they create the game's Chain technic, which then triggers their effects in the reversed order they were played. First the effect of Chain Strike resolves, dealing you 400 points of damage depending on the number it's given as a Chain-Link."

"Chain-Link?" Questioned the warrior duelist.

"It's a way of ordering multiple card-effects in a Chain, each card given a number depending on the order." His once master explained, "And since Chain Strike is the fifth card to be activated, you lose 2000 life-points." the chains were then surged with electricity and made their way towards their captor. Jason cringed from its damaging effect.

**Jason: 6000**

**Chakra: 8000**

"Next after Chain Strike is Accumulated Fortune, which lets me draw two cards from my deck," Chakra drew two extra cards, "My next card, Silver Pot of Chains, has the same effect, except the number of cards it lets me draw depends on the chain-link number it marks; and I draw three card since its third on the Chain," she drew three more times, "Then the effect of Chain Detonation, which deals 500 more points of damage to you," the red gem on the yellow ornament glowed before it exploded in Jason's face. The force of the blast separated him from the chains as he was knocked to the floor.

**Jason: 5500**

**Chakra: 8000**

"And finally, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow negates your monster's attack," a makeshift scarecrow appeared and intercepted the wolf, forcing it to retreat, "Now that my Chain is complete, I can now trigger the second effects of Chain Detonation and Silver Pot of Chain activate, which both are returned to my deck," Chakra shuffled her two cards with her deck. "And lastly, my Man Beast of Ares gain 500 ATK points since I activated a chain this turn (ATK: 1000). Is there anything else you'd like to try?" She asked venomously.

Jason stood up, shaking off the aftershocks of the damage he received, "I end my turn with a face-down." a reverse-card appeared. Suddenly, he felt something pull his bindings from behind. And before he could think of anything else, he was suddenly pulled on by the neck and wrists. He was dragged a fair ways before he stopped. He coughed from the sudden pressure when his collar pulled his throat, his breath almost yanked right out of his lungs.

"I think now you know the comes with failing this trial. These chains we are attached to are connected to a reel under this arena. At the end of each turn, every time we take life-point damage they pull us closer to the edge. And once our life-points hit zero, the loser will be pulled into the pit."

"What?!" Jason exclaimed, eyes trailing to the edge of the pit, where the wild cats of the kingdom bellowed and roared.

"This is the Trial of Freedom, Jason Hutchins. And as such, the part must be played. To earn your freedom, you must prove that you deserve it. But in the end only her Highness decides whether or not you're worthy enough to live" Chakra almost gave him a pitied look, before it hardened into its serious composure.

"My move," Chakra drew her next card, "And due to the effect of my Silver Pot of Chains, since I drew more than two cards from its effect, I have to discard the same amount of cards from my deck as the number of cards I currently have in my hand," she removed six cards from the top of her deck, "Next, I summon (2) Blast Asmodian(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 300) in DEF mode!" a small red imp with a bulbous head appeared, wearing tight black pants and an open, green wool vest (DEF: 300), "Then, I end my turn with four face-downs." once again, her spell/trap zone was filled to capacity.

"Then it's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, nodding at the result, "And I summon Giga-Tech Wolf(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1400) in ATK mode!" a black and silver wolf with metal implants appeared with red eyes and a long and steeled tail (ATK:1200), "Next, I activate the spell Mystical Moon, to give Silver Fang 300 extra points!" a large yellow moon materialized in the sky and Silver Fang howled towards it by its effect, white fur illuminated and turning into a mesmerizing silver (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1100), "Giga-Tech Wolf, attack Man Beast of Ares!" the mechanical wolf advanced, calwed pas pouncing upon the earth.

"I activate my trap Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, and Chain it with another trap Chain Healing, giving me 500 life-points!" as the scarecrow intercepted Giga-Tech Wolf, Chakra was surrounded by a blue aura. The wolf pulled back with a snarl, galloping back to Jason's side of the field.

**Jason: 5500**

**Chakra: 8500**

"And as I have told you before, Ares gains another 500 ATK points since another Chain has been made (ATK: 1500). And that's not all, Blast Asmodian goes by the same requirements, only this monster takes 500 out of your life-points!" Shouted the Amazon.

"You mean I take more damage?!" Jason argued.

"That's right!" Chakra confirmed. "But that's not all you'll be taking; I'm also chaining together Just Desserts, Ceasefire and Jar of Greed! With this combo, you take another 2000 points of damage!" both Ceasefire and Just Desserts attacked Jason with a fireball, the latter pushed back with his heels digging into the floor.

**Jason: 3500**

**Chakra: 8500**

"And with another Chain activated, you get dealt another 500 points of damage from Blast Asmodian! That's another 1000 taken out of your life-points!" Blast Asmodian jumped up and launched a pair of fusing bombs. Jason shielded himself with his duel-disk to avoid most of the damage from the discharge.

**Jason: 2500**

**Chakra: 8500**

"And finally, my Man Beast of Ares gains another 500 points after another chain (ATK: 2000). That will be all." Jason was once again yanked away by the chains, until he stopped closer towards the edge. He looked back and exhaled sharply when a panther falsely jumped at him, its claws missing by a good ten feet.

"Alright then," Jason turned back, "I couldn't destroy your man-beast, but your Blast Asmodian is another story! Go, Silver Fang!" the snow-wolf ripped through the demon bomber with its sharp claws, howling in triumph. "I'll end my turn there."

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "First, I place a card face-down. Next I activate Card of Sanctity, which allows both players to draw until we each hold six cards," Chakra drew six cards while Jason drew three, "Then, I activate the card I just placed face-down: Card Destruction!" both duelists renewed their hand after discarding their old ones, "Next, I activate the Poisons of the Old Man, chaining it with another Chain Strike, and finally, Chain Summoning."

"Chain Summoning?" Jason wondered.

"Chain Summoning is a spell that I can only activate as a third chain-link;" as she spoke, a dark rift suddenly tore open in the sky closely over the stadium, held open by three glowing chains, "and as its effect suggests, it allows me to summon up to three monsters by normal means. As with my other two cards, you take 800 points of damage from each one."

Jason then felt a dark aura burning over him, hissing in his ears and making his skin crawl.

**Jason: 900**

**Chakra: 8500**

"Finally, my Man Beast earns another 500 ATK points (ATK: 2500). Now my Ares is strong enough to destroy your monster and the rest of your life-points; attack!" the minotaur charged in with muscles taunt, ready to smack Jason into the moat.

"I activate my trap card, Negate Attack!" Jason summoned a barrier and held back the minotaur's attack.

Michelangelo sighed in relief; Jason may be able to survive this. Alina, however, caught her servant's reaction and shot a piercing glare at him, forcing him to recompose himself with a light flush on his cheeks, before turning back to the fight. 'This girl had better not ruin this for me...'

"I see that you're able to prolong this battle a little longer," Chakra said, her patience thin on her tongue, "But how long will you able to fend off my attacks?"

"How about we find out," Jason suggested with a small shrug.

"Of course. As I've said before, Chain Summoning allows me to summon up to a limit of three monsters this turn. So first I summon Emperor Sem(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 2200) in DEF mode," a fiendish winged jackal with a ghastly ghost lower-half appeared (DEF: 2200), "And then I'll sacrifice my Man Beast of Ares to advance-summon (3) Iris, the Earth Mother(6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1200)," the huge minotaur vanished and was replaced by a lovely blond-haired woman , the white sleeves and collar dressed as large violet petals and a series of large grass blades draped behind her from her collar (ATK: 2400), "And since I tribute-summoned this turn, Emperor Sem's special-ability activates, allowing both of us to add a card to our hand from our graveyard," Jason retrieved Negate Attack from his graveyard while Chakra obtained Card of Sanctity, "Now I activate the card I just added to my hand, Card of Sanctity," Chakra was the only one to replenish her hand since Jason's was already full, "And since Chain Summoning is still active, I'll use my third summon to call out my (4) Combo Fighter(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 800) in ATK mode," next to Iris and Sem appeared a pink-haired fighter with a green-and-white bandana tied around his head, pressure-bandages on his hands, and brown pants with green and yellow stripes down the sides (ATK: 1600), "Finally, I place four cards face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason said, drawing his next card, "First, I activate Dian Keto, the Cure Master. This card gives me 1000 extra life-points!" A green dust blew over his duel disk.

**Jason: 1900**

**Chakra: 8500**

"Next I summon (5) Hyena (3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 300) in DEF mode," an actual hyena had appeared on Jason's field (DEF: 300), "Next, I activate the Forest field-spell card, giving all my beasts an extra 200-point boost!" the arena floor was then covered in a lush mass of long grass and tall trees.

Silver Fang: (ATK:1700/DEF: 1000)

Hyena: (ATK: 1200/DEF: 500)

"Next, I activate the continuous-spell, Spiritual Forest! With this, you'll have to attack my beasts a second time before they can be destroyed! Now I place 3 cards face-down, switch Giga-Tech Wolf and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared and Giga-Tech Wolf kneeled to the ground, mechanical tail raised in the air..

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "First off, I switch Emperor Sem to ATK mode (ATK: 1300. Next, I sacrifice Combo Fighter in order to summon (6) Combo Master(5/ATK: 2200/DEF: 1500)!" the Combo Fighter was replaced by an older, muscular version of himself, with a headband holding back his dreadlocks (ATK: 2200), "An with another monster tribute-summoned, Emperor Sem's ability activate," Chakra retrieved Silver Pot of Chains while Jason his Dian Keto, "Now I activate my face-downs: Chain Healing, Gift of the Mystical Elf, Mystical Wind Typhoon and Miraculous Rebirth!" Chakra triggered all four of those cards into another Chain, "As Miraculous Rebirth activates as a forth chain-link, I can resurrect one monster from my graveyard, like my (7) Lightning Punisher(7/ATK: 2600/DEF: 1600)!" arcs of electricity began to course around a single spot, scorching the grass around it, until a glowing orb began to grow into appearance and then dissipated. What rose underneath was a man in a sleeveless black jumpsuit with silver tesula-like bands sparking around his upper thighs and waist, and a sapphire gem on his chest. His short and spiky silver hair has a golden mask disguising his face. And on his hands he wore golden gloves that stopped just above his knuckles (ATK: 2600), "Next, my Mystical Wind Typhoon destroys one spell/trap card on your field. I choose the card on your right," Chakra's next card fired a huge tornado and slammed into Jason's Negate Attack card, ripping it to shreds, "Next, my Gift of the Mystical Elf trap card increases my life-points by 300 for each monster on the field; and since there's already 6, I get 1800 life-points!" Chakra summoned a Mystical Elf from her card, who chanted a mantra and surrounded her master in a white aura before disappearing.

**Jason: 1900**

**Chakra: 10300**

"And finally, Chain Healing gives me 500 more."

**Jason: 1900**

**Chakra: 10800**

"That's an interesting set of monster you have there, Chakra," Jason admitted, "but you'll have to do a lot better than that to get pass my monsters."

"And I intend to; because after my Chain is completed, I can draw another card through Iris' ability," Chakra drew one more card, "And that's not all; it allows my Combo Master to attack a second time this turn. And I'll use him to attack your Hyena!" Combo Master charged in to strike the beast.

"Aren't you forgetting? Spiritual Forest protects Hyena from being destroyed!" Jason said as a barrier appeared around Hyena against Combo Master's fist.

"That's why Combo Master can attack twice this turn. Now for Round 2!" Chakra's monster attacked once again.

"And that's why I have my Scrap-Iron Scarecrow! So both of your attacks are negated!" Jason summon his scarecrow from his reverse-card and formed a barrier against the warrior's second attack, before retreating back into its card and returned to its previous position.

"And with that, you used up all the protection you could give this turn. So now, you monsters are fair game. And I'll start by using Emperor Sem to attack Hyena!" the ghastly jackal loomed over the Hyena and smashed its jaws into its neck, forcing it to shatter into pixels.

"When you destroy a Hyena on my field, I can activate its special-ability, letting me summon 2 more from my deck!" two more Hyenas appeared (DEF: 300-500x2), "And that's not all; I activate my second face-down! You're not the only one who's got a Gift of the Mystical Elf!" Jason activated his own version of the card, "And with 7 cards on the field, I get 2100 points! It's a gift that keeps on giving!"

**Jason: 4000 (15)**

**Chakra: 10800 (2)**

"Very well, I'll just have Iris and Lightning Punisher destroy your last two Hyenas," Iris crushed the second Hyena with a series of constricting vines while Lightning Punisher destroyed the third with a surge of electricity from his hands, "Now I activate the spell card Magical Excavation Stones, sending 2 cards from my hand to the graveyard to add a spell card to my hand. And the card I will choose is the card we're both familiar with: Card of Sanctity!" Chakra then activated the same card; both hands replenished to six cards, "Then, I activate a field-spell of my side of the field from my hand: (5D's) Silver Dungeon!" the green of the Forest then withered and died to nothing, resetting the field to marble before the floor transmuted into shiny, reflective metal, spreading throughout the arena like a rapid disease. The diameter of the floor was then surrounded by silver columns erected from the ground as if it were liquid.

Jason looked around at his new surroundings, "This might turn out to be a problem..." He said to himself.

"Finally I place four cards face-down and end my turn." four reverse-cards appeared.

**Jason: 4000 (15)**

**Chakra: 10800 (3)**

"Okay, then it's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the Synthesis Spell ritual card! Now I can release Silver Fang from my field, and M-Warrior #2 from my hand in order to summon the Lycanthrope ritual-monster!" the silver wolf twitched and flinched as it body mass grew in size and its fur darkened, until it to the form of a grey bipedal wolf (ATK: 2400), "Next I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf in ATK mode!" the four-armed werewolf appeared (ATK: 2000), "Gene-Warped Warwolf, attack Emperor Sem!"

"I activate Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, followed by Exchange of the Spirit, Reckless Greed and Pharaoh's Treasure," Chakra activated another Chain before a gem-encrusted chest appeared in front of Chakra's feet.

"What's that box for?" Jason wondered.

"After Pharaoh's Treasure is activated, it's shuffled face-up back into my deck. In the meantime, I can keep this treasure-chest until I can draw Pharaoh's Treasure again. When that happens, I can add a card in my graveyard to my hand. But for now, I'll play the effect of Reckless Greed, which allows me to draw two more cards from my deck," Chakra drew two more cards, the second being Pharaoh's Treasure, before the card was shown to Jason, "It looks like I drew Pharaoh's Treasure quicker than you'd expect. Now I get to add a card from my graveyard to my hand. And the card I choose will be Card of Sanctity," she added said card to her hand, "Next comes the trap card Exchange of the Spirit. When I have 10-or-less cards in my deck, I pay 1000 life-points, then we both must exchange our decks with our respective graveyard," both players did as instructed: Chakra now had 27 cards in her deck and 2 in her graveyard, while Jason had 20 card in his deck with 14 in his graveyard, "Finally, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow scares off your warwolf." Gene-Warped Warwolf's attack was blocked by a barrier made the scarecrow before it retreated back to its face-down position.

"Something tells me you're not finished," Jason said.

"You're right; after my Chain's been passed, I can activate Iris' effect, letting me draw another card from my deck. It also triggers Lightning Punisher's special-ability. And since I activated a Chain of more than three links, I can destroy one card on your field, like your Spiritual Forest spell card!" electricity ran into his hands before Lightning Punisher zapped Jason's spell and destroyed it.

"Not my Forest spell!" Jason groaned, 'That's the best defense I had!'

"Next, Iris' effect activates and lets me draw one more card," Chakra drew another card, "And lastly, the effect of my new field-spell activates..."

Suddenly, a pair of silver columns erected near Lycanthrope on either side, soon after a pair of chains shot out from each on and restrained the monster by each of its limbs, "What did you do to my werewolf?!"

"After a Chain passes, the effect of my Silver Dungeon field-spell activates, giving a monster on the field a Chain Counter for each link that Chain has. Not only that, it also prevents the monster from attacking or being sacrificed; plus it drains that monster's ATK and DEF points by 100 for each counter (CTR: 4/ATK: 2000).

Meanwhile, Valentine and Mabelle were watching the duel were sat at the lowest and front row of the stands.

Valentine scoffed, "I was wondering what was taking her so long to beat this person. She was setting him up for her field-spell this entire time."

"Well, what would you expect from a skilled duelist like Chakra," Maybelle replied, "Of all the students in the academy she is the best in her class. All because of her ability to overwhelm her opponent just by countering their cards."

"With a unique deck like hers, Chakra can take advantage of Chaining one's own cards, making her untouchable."

"Now the only question to be answered, how much time will she give our prisoner until she deals the final blow; and how...?"

"There's something else that's bothering me, Mayabelle," Valentine narrowed her eyes at Jason, grinding her teeth slightly. "It's already pass the destined time for the poison in the prisoner's bloodstream to take effect. Why hasn't he fallen yet?"

"Yes," Her companion, however, had her gaze on Akina's personal servant, noticing the concerned look he possessed. "I wonder that as well …"

"Well then, I guess I'll place a card face-down and end my turn." a reverse-card appeared on Jason's field.

"Then it's my move," Chakra said, "But due to the effect of Reckless Greed, I can't conduct my draw-phase a card until the end of my next turn. But in the meantime, I'll activate Card of Sanctity to make up for that," Chakra drew six cards, while Jason drew four, "Next, I'll activate Magical Excavation Stones. And just like before, I send two cards from my hand to the graveyard to add one spell card from there." she used that card's effect to retrieve Card of Sanctity, "Now my Lightning Punisher will attack your Lycanthrope!"

"I activate my trap card, Gravity Bind!" Jason played his reverse-card and a large barrier was formed around Chakra's field, "And that means none of your high-leveled monster can attack!"

"Fine, I'll place two cards face-down. It's your move."

"Alright," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Giga-Tech Wolf in DEF mode and end my turn with a face-down." The mutated beast appeared, its large form making up for its small fangs.

"It's my turn; and just like before I can't draw a card because of Reckless Greed. But I can sacrifice Combo Fighter and Lightning Punisher to summon (8) Flame Ogre(7/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1700)!" two of Chakra's monsters disappeared and were replaced by a muscular, beastly giant with dull red skin, wearing a pair of ragged trousers while being surrounded by an aura of flames.

"Why summon a monster with less ATK points?" Jason asked.

"Because, when Flame Ogre's summoned to the field, I can draw one card from my deck. And it gets much better; its effect can also Chain itself to Emperor Sem's effect, as well as two of my face-down cards, Silver Pot of Chains and Miraculous Rebirth!" two of Chakra's cards flipped up, "As you have already known, Miraculous Rebirth activates as a forth chain-link, and allows me to resurrect Lightning Punisher from the graveyard," Lightning Punisher returned to the field, "And since Silver Pot of Chains is activated as a third chain-link, I can draw three cards from my deck," after drawing three more cards, both players added a card from the graveyard with Emperor Sem's effect. After that, Chakra drew another card, "And now the effect of Silver Dungeon activates. And that means I can add four more Chain Counters to another monster on your field, like your Giga-Tech Wolf!" the metallic wolf found itself confined by four sets of chains from a separate pair of columns (CTR: 4/ATK: 800), "And before we forget, Iris' effect activates," she draws one last card, "Finally, I place two cards face-down, and end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, a small smile appearing on his face when he looked at it, ''This should work! I activate the Dark Hole spell card!" after the spell was played, a cloudy black vortex appeared over the arena, "And by playing this, every monster on the field is automatically destroyed!"

"I'm afraid that won't happen, because I activate Solemn Judgment!" Chakra played her trap card, and the black hole dissipated, "By paying half of my life-points, Solemn Judgment negates your Dark Hole, making it worthless!"

**Jason: 4000**

**Chakra: 4900**

"Then I'll set a monster and 2 more cards face-down," two reverses appeared, "That ends my turn!"

"Then it's my draw," Chakra started her next turn, "I activate the spell Emergency Provisions. And my sending another card in my spell/trap zone to the graveyard, I gain 1000 life-points!" her face-down Scrap-Iron Scarecrow disappeared and Chakra was surrounded in a golden aura.

**Jason: 4000**

**Chakra: 5900**

"Next, I place three cards face-down," three reverses appeared, "That ends my turn."

"My turn," Jason drew his next card, "I'll set another monster face-down. That ends my turn."

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "And by activating Card of Sanity, we both draw until we each had six cards in our hand," she drew three card while Jason drew four, "Next, I'll activate one of my face-downs: the trap, Ultimate Offering!" Chakra flipped up her continuous-trap, "With this, I can summon an extra monster by paying 500 points for each. And what's more, I can activate its effect multiple times, Chaining then to each other!"

"You can really do that?!" Jason gasped.

"Watch and see; first I pay 2000 points for Ultimate Offering..."

**Jason: 4000**

**Chakra: 3900**

"Then I'll Chain Ultimate Offering with Chain Detonator, Poison of the Old Man..." Chakra then activated a spell card from her hand, "And Chain Strike!"

"Not again!" Jason groaned; and then found himself caught in the same trap as the beginning of the match: his upper body wrapped tight in chains with the detonator attached to his chest. His ribs began to ache and sore, his throat turning raw from the pain.

"Yes, and since Chain Strike's Chain-Link number is seven, in additional damage from Chain Detonation, the rest of your life-points will be wiped out..."

"Not on my watch!" Jason struggled to reach his duel-disk until he was able to press a button, "I activate my spell card...!" a quick-play reverse-card flipped up, "When I'm about to take damage from an effect, I can use Spell of Pain's effect to send that damage back to you!" the silver chains loosened from Jason and reapplied themselves to Chakra, "And like you said, since Chain Strike's Chain-Link is 7, you lose 2800 points!"

As in on cue, volts of electricity ran into the chains and quickly reached Chakra. Strangely, she expressed no pain, "I activate my trap..." a trap card revealed itself; lines of black runes slithered out of the illustrations, "Vanity's Call!"

"Vanity's Call...?"

"It's a powerful counter-trap, as it can only be activated as a Chain-Link Number 4-or-more. It has the ability to cancel out every card activated before it!" the runes then gathered together and pierced through every card one by one, from Spell of Pain, to Chain Strike, and so on until every card in the Chain was infected and withered away. The chains that held Chakra rusted and evaporated. "You managed to somehow delay your defeat. But you will still be judged regardless. You should know by now that you never stood a chance. Just surrender, and perhaps her Highness will be merciful."

"How could you say that?" Jason heaved, gritting his teeth to the point of pain, "Chakra, you know I didn't do anything to deserve this!"

"What's to say you didn't?" Chakra asked. "For all we know, you really are a conspirator."

"Listen, I have nothing to do with any conspiracy. You were the first person who showed me kindness on this island! I thought you wouldn't judge me as quickly as the others do! Is this what you want these people to be famous for, a tribe of erratic back-biters who are too scared of the opposite sex to give them a fair trial?!" He demanded, the fierce opponent shaking her head at his words.

"I'm sure the Princess is acting like she is for the safety of her people! She wouldn't do this without having a good reason! She won't admit it, but I think she's frightened about something..."

"I know she's frightened! I also know the way she approached her servants, or other men, is dangerous! She's going to end up hurting someone for something they didn't even do!" He threw his hand at the princess balcony. "She's already done that to Michelangelo, and the guy's a pacifist, for crying out loud! I want to show Alina not all men are dangerous or plotting against her!"

Chakra gazed at him silently, her eyes locking into his darkly-colored orbs, before she threw a skeptical look.

"...And what could you do to change that, may I ask?" She asked hesitantly.

"I don't know. But I do know that if someone doesn't do anything, I don't think this so-called way of life can last for long. I have to show Alina that she shouldn't hate a man just for the sake of being a man! There are many good men out there as there are bad ones!"

"...I know exactly what you're talking about. I never told you this, but I used to be an outlander, just like you."

"Really?" Jason asked, getting a nod in return.

"My full name is Chakra Silvers. I'm not sure if you'd know but my parents are very powerful people; my father being a genius in the Stock Market, while my mother's one of the best lawyers money could buy. And as with any family tradition they expect me to follow in their footsteps. When I first played Duel Monsters, I was really good at it; and I was able to win the local championship in my hometown. That gave my parents the perfect excuse to send me off to Duel Academy, where I studied to be a Pro-Duelist."

"I'd say that's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Is it?" Chakra gave a bitter smile. "Those are the kind of parents who take it hard against you when to bring home just a couple of B's or even an A-, Jason!" She shook her head in scorn. "Along the line I came to figure that the care more about what a success their daughter could bring than their own daughter in particular! So in the middle of my third year, I left the island on a boat. I didn't have anywhere particular in mind, I just went wherever the waves took me."

"And that's how you ended up here?" Jason inquired.

Chakra nodded, "It was because of a large storm that my new life started. It was nine days since I left the school, I've long exhausted my provisions and was growing weak. The waves went wild under me and I was soon flipped overboard and crashed into the sea. I've long lost my strength and, considering what I had been through, I gladly invited death."

"The Amazons saved you, didn't they?" Chakra nodded, the bitterness in her smile turning grateful.

"They found me washed up on the beach, and then took me to the Princess. I told her my story and I was lucky she managed to take pity on me. She taught me to take care of myself, gave me a place to stay. I'd be nothing without her! So you see, I can't turn my back on the Princess! Not after all she's done for me!" He proclaimed, loyalty laced in her words.

"...Look, I never said that I'd want you to turn on your savior. But I'll tell you this: I'm winning this duel," Jason declared as he drew his next card, "And after this duel's done, we're gonna have to have a little talk with the princess."

"But we're both chained off! How can you unshackle both of us?"

"Just watch me! I just drew the combo that'll do the job! I summon People Running About and Oppressed People!" two of Jason's cards flipped up, "And from my hand I summon United Resistance!" a third monster card appeared beside the other two. "Finally I activate this last trap card, Huge Revolution!" the reversed card activated depicted a group of people uniting for a raid, "I can play this card if I have People Running About, Oppressed People and United Resistance face-up on the field! And once activated, I can use it to destroy every card on the field and in your hand!" the three cards overlapped a gathered a huge amount of energy which was then released in a giant ball. The impact on the opposite field created a giant explosion and decimated everything it touched. Both Chakra and Jason had to hold onto the ground to keep from falling over. When everything settled down, Chakra was left with nothing. "And since your field-spell's destroyed, both Lycanthrope and Gene-Warped Warwolf's ATK points return to how they were before!"

Lycanthrope: (ATK: 2400)

Gene-Warped Warwolf: (ATK: 2000)

"This duel is over!" Jason said as both of his monsters dashed in and punched Chakra, sending her flying over the edge and into the pit.

Chakra held back her breath, her eyes barely catching the gleam of a tiger's fangs and the swipe of a furred paw, before her she was grabbed around the waist and pulled up. Looking over her shoulder, she gasped when she saw it was Gene-Warped Warwolf, lifting her back to the marble plateau. She stood on her feet uneasily, looking around.

"You ok?" She turned and saw Jason with a concerned look, her breath finally coming back to her lungs.

"I'm-" She suddenly hissed and held her arm, noticing the four gashes that drew across her arm. Apparently, that tiger didn't miss her. She held her bleeding arm and threw a tough smile. "I'll be fine. Barely a scratch."

In spite of her tough act, Jason was failing to hold back a smile.

The crowds were silent. Too surprised to make an exclaim while other waiting for their princess's decision. Above, the aqua-blue royal could only gape at what had just happened, her lips slightly parted.

"M'lady?" Michelangelo asked quietly. "Your highness…?" He jumped back when Alina suddenly stood, striding herself to the railing of the balcony and holding her hands up to draw her court to attention.

"The prisoner has won the Three Trails. As I am royal, I shall determine his fate," Alina gazed down at Jason, eyes burning so much that they could almost engulf him in flames. Everyone waited in baited breath, watching, wondering, until Alina gave a rough snarl, with a harsh breath let out. "He has not won he's freedom..."

Everyone was letting out mixed reactions, Jason looking ready to bolt.

"He has won a meeting in my presence," Alina declared, everyone struck silent once more. "In this meeting, I shall bestow to him the eternal chance to be free. If he takes this chance and succeeds, he shall be released. If he refuses or fails his chance, he shall be kept under lock and key for the rest of his life." She held her hands up once more, a deafening gong ringing behind her. "So it shall be. The prisoner has one hour to make his final decision," She turned and sharply muttered to Michelangelo, "Se to it that Chakra is taken to a healer." Not waiting for a nod, the princess and Nila walked out with the curtains at the doorway swooping behind them.

On the arena, Jason groaned and rubbed his temples.

"What's this nagging feeling that's telling me I'm not gonna like the chance she's given me?"

* * *

><p>Ten minutes after the Trials, Michelangelo had lead Jason and Chakra to a lone room with stone cots lined with animal-skinned blankets and bird feather-filled pillows, herbs of all sorts and pots filled with water waiting for them. He told the both of them to wait while he went to fetch a healer and he left in a hurry.<p>

An awkward silence was met between Jason and Chakra, both seated on different cots with their backs to each other. Finally, Chakra let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry."

Jason lifted his head, coking an eyebrow.

"For what-?" He stopped himself and shook his head, smiling at the realization he had. "Chakra, it's nothing. You were only acting like that because you owed it to the princess. It's ok." He assured.

"But I acted that way to you-"

"We're cool," Jason waved a hand, his smile widening. "And hey, at least neither of us are wild cat lunch! So we're good!"

Chakra gave a look of disbelief, shaking her head with a light laugh and a smile of her own.

"You are just some other type of man, Jason Hutchins."

"-I was busy!"

"Dem, come on! You said you wanted to meet him, anyway!"

The both of them whipped their heads to the side to see Michelangelo walk in with Demetrius, the younger male dragging the older in by the arm (It was a wonder how the small and lanky servant could do that).

"Here we are," Michelangelo gave a quick bow to Chakra. "Lady Chakra, this is-"

"Valentine's servant, Demetrius," The warrior nodded. "I've heard of him. But why did you bring him here?"

"He asked me to come here look at your wound. Granted, this would get my head decapitated for illegal medical studies, thank you, Michelangelo," He added gruffly, the redhead looking away with a cough. "Lady Chakra, please allow me to look at your wound, in case for infection."

Brightly-colored eyes stared at the tall slave, before she turned her arm to him. Pulling her arm to an appropriate length with gentle care, he inspected the wound and nodded to himself, fingers kneading close to the shallow gash.

"Fortunately, the wound hasn't been infected and with the provided herbs here, it can be healed in two weeks, Lady Chakra," Demetrius picked out a selection of the medical powders and liquids nearby, the blacked-haired male began to clean and treat to Chakra's wound with eased precision.

"You seem to know what you're doing," Commented his patient, her lip curling slightly when Demetrius began to stitch-up the gash. "Males of the kingdom are forbidden to study healing, though. Who taught you?"

"This means you will not alert the queen of my studies, m'lady?"

"You have my word."

"Very well. I've learned from the shaman of the Gargarean tribe when I was young, and I decided to take my studies here to this tribe in order to provide help for the injured and sick males of the Amazons." Informed Demetrius, trying up her would with a special gauze.

"So that's why Michelangelo bought you here in the first place." Said Jason.

"Right," Demetrius looked up and cracked a wicked grin. "And may I say, congratulations on winning the duel. No man has ever done that since . . . ever." The healer praised. "And now, you are allowed to have an audience with the queen and receive another chance for your freedom."

"What will my chance be, anyway?" Jason asked.

"Our best guess is finding the oracle," Michelangelo answered, "Right, Dem?" He asked his old friend.

"Most likely."

"Oracle?" Jason was confused.

"The oracle who lives deep within the forest of our land, their cavern struck between the border points of the Amazons and the Gargareans. It is said that they can see what has occurred in the past and future, serving for both tribes." Explained Demetrius.

"'They? 'their?'"

"No one knows the oracle's true gender," Stated Chakra, "However, knowing her highness, she will send you to find the oracle, crossing the wild forest, and try to convince the oracle to give you their trust."

"Why would she want that?" Jason asked.

"The queen holds a high respect for the oracle, being one of the wisest of the two tribes. With the oracle's trust, Alina is sure to trust you."

"But," Michelangelo looked troubled, tugging on his hair slightly. "Her highness already looked like she trusted Jason after the duel. I know she despises him, but why would she have Jason go to such length?"

"Michelangelo, maybe this is the queen's way of showing that she is _close _to trusting Jason," Said Demetrius. "Think about it; no male has ever passed the Three Trials. And Jason right here holds a will unlike any of us have ever seen. And with this meeting she is allowing to have with him, it just proves that she sees that there _might _be _something _that's telling her that she can trust him. Remember, our queen has never acted kindly to men," He winced slightly at the scars across the younger servant's eyes, his proof bought forth. "Jason could be the one to turn her whole opinion around," He turned to the modern duelist. "Jason, you could be the one to free our queen."

"Well, when you put it like that, I'm in," Jason nodded and stood. "Alright, I still got a while until I meet with Alina. Tell me everything about the forest and the quickest way to meet this 'oracle'."

**DUEL-MON DATABASE**

**(1) ManBeast of Ares  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast-Warrior/Effect] Level 3 ATK/500 DEF/500**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description:  
><strong>

**(2) **Blast Asmodian  
><strong>**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] Level 3 ATK/1000 DEF/300**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Description: If any Spell or Trap Card(s) are Chained, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.  
><strong>

**(3) Iris, the Earth Mother  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] Level 6 ATK/2400 DEF/1200**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Description: After a Chain with 3 or more Links resolves, draw 1 card. This effect cannot activate if multiple cards/effects with the same name were activated in that Chain.  
><strong>

**(4) Combo Fighter  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1600 DEF/800**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Description: If a Chain (of 2 or more Links) occurred in your Main Phase 1, this card can attack twice during the Battle Phase this turn.  
><strong>

**(5) Hyena  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] Level 3 ATK/1000 DEF/300**

**Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>

**Description: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon any number of "Hyenas" from your Deck.  
><strong>

**(6) C**ombo Master  
><strong>**

**Stats: [**Warrior**/Effect] Level 6 ATK/2200 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: WIND  
><strong>

**Description: If a Chain (of 2 or more Links) occurred in your Main Phase 1, this card can attack twice during the Battle Phase this turn.  
><strong>

**(7) Lightning Punisher  
><strong>

**Stats: [**Thunder**/Effect] Level 7 ATK/2600 DEF/1600**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

**Description: After a Chain with 3 or more Links resolves, destroy 1 card on your opponent's side of the field. This effect cannot activate if multiple cards/effects with the same name were activated in that Chain.  
><strong>

****(8) Flame Ogre  
><strong>**

**Stats: [**Fiend**/Effect] Level 7 ATK/2400 DEF/1700**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

******Description: This card cannot be Special Summoned. When this card is Normal Summoned, draw 1 card.******

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON TRIVIA-<strong>

**Hey duelists! Did you know:**

**"This monster's appearance bears a striking resemblance to the evil monster form taken by Gozaburo Kaiba during his duel with his step-son Seto in the Virtual World arc.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**YuGiOh 5D's: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Beta Reader: Mewstar0013**

* * *

><p>After an hour came and went, Valentine came to the infirmary and informed Jason and Michelangelo that the Princess was to meet them outside the palace entrance (Demetrius made sure to leave the room before she arrived). After giving their regards to Chakra they left through the palace gates and waited at the end of the stone bridge.<p>

"I wonder what's taking so long," Jason eventually wondered with impatience, "If Alina wants us to meet here then what's keeping her."

"First of all, her highness is the one who arranged this meeting; she will take as much time as she needed to prepare," Valentine spat, "Second, never address the Princess as you did. You men are not fit to speak her given name."

"And the last male who did wished they had rather dealt with Nila." they all turned to see Alina, with a brown sack carried over her shoulder, approaching them, mounted on her pet tiger Nila.

Jason was the first to confront her, "Alright, you have my attention. Why do we have to meet here?"

"I think it's best you didn't speak to her unless spoken to." Michelangelo whispered in the Signer's ear.

"Yes, I'd heed my servant's warning, for your sake," Alina replied, "And as to why I called your here, I want to give you one final test before I decide whether to spare you or end your worthless life. But that will take place in another location."

"Another location?"

"You will need a guide to get you there. That's why I decided to bring Valentine with us. She knows her way around the jungle better that many of the women of my kingdom. You will follow us through the jungle until we reach our destination. There your true test will begin," Alina narrowed her eyes, trying to rattle the Satellite's nerve. "Do I make myself clear?"

Jason nodded, "Understood."

"Very well," the princess then turned towards her guard, "Valentine, we should get moving."

"Very well," the warrior bowed her head slightly, and turned from the palace just before looking towards Jason, "We should get moving. The sun will set in a few hours, and some of the beasts here are most active after dark." with nothing else to speak of, Jason, Michelangelo and the Princess went off to the jungle with Valentine leading the expedition.

* * *

><p>It has been 3 hours since Jason and Michelangelo walked into the jungle. It was becoming increasingly difficult to travel with thick tree roots under their feet and branches hitting their faces. A couple of times they found themselves lost and had to wait for Valentine and the Princess to find them, the second time the Princess threatened to leave them behind. Also the further they went they heard various chirping and croaking, giving notice from all sorts of wildlife around them.<p>

"This jungle seems to go on forever," Jason said to particularly no one, "I'm starting to think we might never get out..."

"This jungle makes up more than 80 percent of the island," Valentine replied, "Without my help to guide you, the only help you will find here will be the big cats prowling here and there. And when night comes, you won't stand a chance."

"...Guess we got you to thank we didn't already get eaten."

SHNK! A slender metal point had Jason stopped in his tracks. Valentine stood in front of him with her sword drawn out, its blade pointed towards his taken-aback face. "Let's get one thing clear: I only agreed to come because the Princess insisted, otherwise she'd have you locked back up and be done with it. I could care less about your well-being, so I suggest you keep your words to yourself. Understand?" Jason nodded and Valentine drew her sword back in her sheath, "We're wasting daylight; we better get moving." Valentine returned to Alina's side and continued on with the two males following.

* * *

><p>Another hour went by and there was still no sign of any landmass other than jungle wildlife. When he was out of the women's earshot, Jason took another opportunity to speak up, "I'm not liking the look of this; to think we'd be there by now, wherever we're going." he whispered.<p>

"We've been walking for three hours." Michelangelo replied, "I don't even know where we're going. So who knows how much further we need to go."

"Right, and that's why it's suspicious," Jason said, "For all we know we might be walking into a trap... I don't know, I think we should watch our back."

"We're here," Alina said as she and Valentine stopped. Up ahead they can see an open sky past the last few branches and vines the boys were sure to see. Once they were out of the jungle the found themselves walking on a road of dust and sand. Jason looked down at the large structures of layer rock, like staircases a giant would use. Suddenly Nila's pace had quickened and soon she was running down the trail. "If you want to reach your final test in time then I suggest you catch up!"

Not wanting to get left behind, Jason and Michelangelo started running after the Princess. Nila, liking a good chase, decided to let them come close enough to catch her, only to sprint aside out of their reach. She treated this as a sort of game, each time they came close she managed to slip away. But as much as she enjoyed it she had to attend to business. Luckily she made it to a clear open area in the middle. She and Alina waited a couple minutes before Jason and Michelangelo reached them. The entire area would be known to be an open-pit mine, with all those huge bits of marble he was walking past. This must have been where building materials were mined to build the Amazons' marble palace.

"Alright, I'm guessing this is the place," Jason said, doubling over and out of breath, "So are you gonna tell us why we're here or not?"

"So impatient, are you? Very well," Alina tossed the sack she was carrying to Jason's feet, "Open it." Jason opened the sack and found a pair of duel disks; one of them was golden, presumably his, "When I watched you win your last duel earlier today, I was surprised how you managed to hold on for that long. Absolutely no one could survive long enough to battle Chakra. You looked like you had a warrior's will if you had overcame the seven-spotted serpent's venom. That is...if the venom was even in effect at all!" Jason's body stiffened as Alina growled those last words, "Yes, I shall take a wild guess and say that you managed to nullify the poison before the trials! And I supposed you had him to thank!"

The Princess turned her violent glare towards her servant, who cringed in fear of his master's gaze. "But how...how did you-"

"Did you think I'm that stupid?! Your hands reeked of Kiku berry! You were stupid enough to stand beside me in the showroom; that's how I picked up your scent! And not only that, I was fortunate enough to pick up your scent from the cards the prisoner was using!" Michelangelo's body literally shivered. He always imagined how far her master would go to punish him, and now he was about to find out just how far, "I've always had a sick feeling in my gut that you would try and pull a fast one like this. And the first thing my mother taught me was to always follow my instinct! I should've called you out and thrown you into the dungeon with your friend! But on the other hand, I think I'd rather humiliate you, the same way you humiliated my warriors!" Alina whipped out a customized duel-disk and strapped it onto herself: the main device holding her deck and graveyard slot was white with black stripes on the exterior left side with a green gem in the center and its tiger-head jaws wide open holding. The tray on the side was a pure reflective silver and was shaped like a large scimitar blade. The entire duel-disk was mounted in a silver gauntlet with red-tipped claws at the fingertips "I'll duel both of you at the same time! And don't you dare think about backing out! You'll have to deal with me personally!"

Jason groaned between his teeth. Between them and civilization was three-to-four miles of jungle, and the chances of finding someone who can help was slim to none. If they tried to escape they will just be dragged back here, or probably worse, "I guess we don't have a choice. I guess we'll have to duel our way out of this one. You ready?" Michelangelo was unable to answer; his body was paralyzed as a result of many possibilities of consequence running through his mind, "Hey, snap out of it! I'm gonna need your help on this one! Are you ready or not?!" Michelangelo managed to come out of his stupor and realized his friend was right. While he was afraid of facing his own master, just standing by the sidelines felt even worst, so he made his decision and nodded, and caught the spare duel-disk.

"You will wish you had never turned on me, Michelangelo!" Alina roared as he shoved her deck into the tiger-disk's mouth and it hummed to life. "And since it's a 2-on-1 duel, you each start with 4000 points while I get twice as much!"

Jason and Michelangelo followed and activated their duel-disks and inserted their decks inside.

"Alright, here we go." Jason muttered. Meanwhile Nila stood aside and laid on her side, making herself comfortable.

"LET'S DUEL!"

**Jason: 4000**

**Michelangelo: 4000**

**Alina: 8000**

"I will take the first move!" Alina announced as she drew her sixth card and looked over her hand, and scoffed, "I almost feel sorry this should end quickly. I summon the (1) Warrior Lady of the Wasteland(4/ATK: 1100/DEF: 1200) in DEF mode!" after the card was played, a young woman appeared wearing a green top with a matching miniskirt, and a tattered brown overcoat with a matching wide-rimmed hat (DEF: 1200), "Finally I place three cards face-down!" three reverses appeared, "Now show me what you got!"

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I summon (8) Obnoxious Celtic Guard(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1200) in ATK mode!" an elvin warrior appeared with a sword in hand (ATK: 1400), "Attack the warrior lady with Celtic Slash!" Celtic Guardian swung his sword through the female warrior and destroyed her.

"When my Warrior Lady of the Wasteland is destroyed by battle, her special-ability activates," Alina said, "Now I can summon an Earth-Attribute Warrior-Type monster from my deck in ATK position, a monster like my (2) Amazoness Archer(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1000)!" she played another monster card and another female warrior appeared. She had short, dirty-blonde hair, and wore a brown halter top, jacket, and shirt. She carried a quiver of arrows on her back and held a bow. She drew an arrow and fitted it into her weapon (ATK: 1400). "And she's just what I need to decimate your life-points!"

"We'll see! I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn!" Jason set a couple of reverse-cards and the looked towards Michelangelo, "Alright, it's your turn!"

"Uh, right," Michelangelo drew his sixth card, nearly fumbling with it "I summon Skull Dog Marron(4/ATK: 1350/DEF: 2000) in DEF mode!" a skeleton dog sat on Michelangelo's field (DEF: 2000), "I'll end my turn there-"

"How many time must you be told; never speak before your master!" Alina activated one of her face-down cards and four balls of fluff suddenly appeared, each a different color (1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0x4), "When Scapegoat's activated, four Sheep Tokens are summoned to my field! However, I can't summon a monster on the turn, this card is played. That's why it was more convenient to play it on your turn. So now I start my own!" Alina drew her next card, "And as long as I have an entire field of monsters, I'll take that opportunity to play my trap card: Gift of the Mystical Elf!" her trap card flipped up and the Mystical Elf appeared over her, "I'm sure you remember what this does. The Mystical Elf gives me 300 points for each monster on my field!" the elf chanted in unknown dialect and sent a drizzle of sparkles raining down on the Princess.

**Jason: 4000**

**Michelangelo: 4000**

**Alina: 9500**

I activate Amazoness Archer's special-ability: by sacrificing two monsters on my field, I can deal 1200 points of damage!"

"1200..." Jason gasped, "Sounds like a lot. Now we know why she played Scapegoat last turn."

"Yes! And just like its name suggests, my tokens are useless on their own. So they must be offered to serve a greater purpose. They're disposable... Just, like, you." Alina shot another glare towards her servant, giving him a solid guess on her first target, "Amazoness Archer! I offer two of my tokens to empower your bow! Let your arrow pierce his tainted heart!" the two sheep whisped into vapors and surrounded the Archer's bow, condensing into a glowing arrow as she drew it back. The Archer then knocked the arrow and sent it flying towards Michelangelo, electing a scream from him as the arrow passed through his chest and forced on his knees as Jason cried out his name.

**Jason: 4000**

**Michelangelo: 2800**

**Alina: 9500**

"Don't worry, I won't leave you out. I saved my last arrow just for you!" Amazoness Archer fired another enchanted arrow through Jason. The Signer dropped to one knee, clutching his chest where the arrow fired.

**Jason: 2800**

**Michelangelo: 2800**

**Alina: 9500**

"Now I have room to play my more decent monsters. And I think I'll start by playing (3) Amazoness Blowpiper(3/ATK: 800/DEF: 1500) in DEF position!" a woman with long blue hair and holding a blowpipe with a small skull at the end appeared and knelt beside her ally, "Finally I will end my turn with a face-down card."

Jason stood back up to his feet, "Alright, my turn now," he then drew his next card, "I summon (9) Little Winguard(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1800) in DEF mode!" a small winged warrior in blue garments appeared (DEF: 1800), "Next I equip Celtic Guardian with the Fusion Sword Murasame Blade!" the sheath of a samurai sword strapped itself around the swordsman's waist, "This card gives any warrior monster 800 extra ATK points!" Celtic Guardian packed his sword and drew his new blade. The sword began to pulse strange mystical energy and seeped itself into the Celtic Guardian (ATK: 2200), "Celtic Guardian, attack the Amazon Archer! Go, Celtic Fusion Strike!" Celtic Guardian struck the archer with his new sword and destroyed her.

"I activate both of my face-down cards!" the moment after both of Alina's reverse-cards flipped up, a barrier formed around her and protected her from the flying dust and debris created by the Celtic Guardian's strike, "When you destroyed my Archer, I activated Defense Draw to protect my from battle-damage, as well allow me to draw a card from my deck. And combined with my Pride of Tribe trap, I can summon another Amazoness monster from my deck to replace the one your Celtic Guardian destroyed. And the monster I choose will be the (4) Amazoness Fighter(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1300)!" another female warrior then appeared on the field. She was muscular and had a teal like top with a teal loincloth. Her wild hair made her look that much more powerful. Jason took one glance at the new monster and realized that she bore a striking resemblance to Kalis the Dunamis, one of the Princess' duelists (ATK: 1500), "Does this monster look familiar? She should; and soon she will use her wrath to avenge her fallen sister!"

"We'll just have to wait and see..." Jason commented, before his legs almost gave up on him, nearly tripping on his feet. He began to lose breath as well.

"Are you alright?" Michelangelo asked, concerned; he knew his friend was losing strength from the back-to-back duels he had to endure.

"I'll be fine. Let's just focus on the duel, okay?"

"Alright," Michelangelo said and drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Polymerization! Now I combine M-Warriors 1 and 2 to form the Karbonala Knight(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)!" the Polymerization card came to life by creating a green-and-orange vortex. Then the two M-Warriors appeared and were absorbed into the portal. In their place came out a warrior in violet armor (ATK: 1500), "This new monster should go head-to-head with Amazoness Fighter."

"Ever the disappointment!" Alina scoffed as she drew her next card, "For this turn I activate Blowpiper's special-ability!" the Amazoness inhaled and blew into her blowdart, firing a needle that pierced itself against the warrior's hand.

The warrior then began to spasm slightly. He then fell over on his hands and knees (ATK: 1000), "My warrior!" Michelangelo cried.

"My Blowpiper's darts are coated with a temporary poison, that once it gets into the monster's bloodstream, it robs them of 500 ATK points. Now he's an easy target for my next monster, (5) Amazoness Sage(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 700)!" a beautiful, dark skinned woman with ocean-blue hair appeared on the field, wearing a revealing top and skirt, but also with a leather cape and carrying a staff with animal teeth on top. Jason Recognized her as the Princess' adviser Mabelle (ATK: 1400), "attack, my Sage! Destroy Karbonala Knight!" the sage lodged her staff into the ground and chanted some unknown language. A group of vines suddenly erupted from the ground around the violet knight.

"I activate the quick-play spell card, Half Shut!" Jason's reverse-card opened and formed a protective veil around Karbonala Warrior, "By cutting the ATK points of a monster on the field in half, it can't be destroyed in battle!"

"Perhaps, but Michelangelo will still take damage!" the tentacles wrapped themselves around the knight and suspended him in the air. The pain he felt from the thorns digging in was transferred to Michelangelo. When the attack ended, the tendrils dropped the knight and disappeared.

**Jason: 2800**

**Michelangelo: 1900**

**Alina: 9500**

"You may have protected you precious warrior, but my Sage's effect activates when she attacks; an ability that destroys a spell-or-trap card on your field! And what better than your Murasame Blade!" another incantation later, the Amazoness Sage created another series of tendrils intended to yank the sword away from the elfin warrior.

By the Celtic Guardian sliced up the vines before they even got close. "Sorry, but my Fusion Sword can't be destroyed by card-effects!" Jason said.

"Pity! If I were to have gotten rid of that equip-card, then my Amazoness Fighter would have been able to destroy your Celtic Guardian!" Alina's gaze then became more primal, "But you just made things easier! And Because of your Half Shut spell, your partner will have to endure yet another thrashing! Attack!" the Fighter charged in and smashed her muscled fist against the knight, sending him tumbling into Michelangelo.

**Jason: 2800**

**Michalangelo: 900**

**Alina: 9500**

"And there's even more punishment to come!" Alina said smugly concluded her turn with a face-down and Karbonala Warrior's ATK went back to normal (ATK: 1500).

"Alright, my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "First I activate the spell Reinforcement of the Army! This allows me to add a level-4-or-lower warrior-type monster from my deck to my hand!" Jason added another card from his deck and shuffled it afterwards, "Next, I summon Marauding Captain to the field!" a war-torn knight in scarred armor appeared (ATK: 1200), "And thanks to his special-ability when he's summoned by normal means, I can summon another level-4-or-lower monster from my hand! So I'll summon another Marauding Captain!" another battle-damage warrior appeared (ATK: 1200), both captains now flanking the Celtic Guardian on either side. "Now my Celtic Guardian attacks Amazoness Sage!"

"I activate my face-down: the quick-play spell card Book of Moon!" a large blue book with egyptian symbols appeared before Amazoness Sage, "The inscriptions from within its bindings will bewitch your Celtic Guardian and force him face-down in DEF position!" the Sage opened the book and announced the symbols out loud. The Celtic Guardian felt an enormous weight crashing down on him. He went slowly sinking into the ground until a card in a sideways position was placed over him. "And with no monster to attach to, your Murasame Blade is instantly destroyed!"

"Then I'll end my turn with a face-down." Jason set a reverse-card.

"It's my turn," Michelangelo drew his next card, "I summon Wolf Axewielder in ATK mode!" the axe-wielding grey wolfman appeared (ATK: 1650), "Next I activate the spell Legendary Sword! It's an equip-spell that gives a warrior-type monster 300 ATK and DEF points!" Karbonala Warrior was given a crystalline sword with a golden hilt (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1500), "Axewielder! Attack the Amazoness Blowpiper!" the werewolf raised his axe and brought it down on the Blowpiper, destroying her in the process, "Karbonala it's your turn! Attack Amazoness Sage!" Karbonala raised his new crystal sword and destroyed the Sage with one slash.

**Jason: 2800**

**Michelangelo: 900**

**Alina: 9100**

"You dare strike at me!" Alina snapped, causing Michelangelo to cringe, "Such arrogance will cost you severely!"

"Don't let her get to you; just focus on the duel!" Shouted Jason, noting the servant's distress. It was hard for Michelangelo, he knew, but Jason also knew that he needed him to focus.

"Okay," the servant said, calming down, "I place 1 card face-down and end my turn."

"Then it's my draw!" Alina started her next turn, "And I summon (6) Amazoness Swords Woman(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1600) in ATK mode!" an Amazon with dangerously wild, burning-red hair appeared on the field wearing a dark-blue top littered with animal teeth and carrying a silver sword matching her in height (ATK: 1500), "Next I'll equip the spell Amazoness Heirloom onto my fighter!" a necklace holding a wooden fertility doll with a green gem hung itself around the Fighter's neck. "And not only does this mystic item prevent her from being destroyed once a turn, any monster it battles is automatically destroyed! Let me give you a demonstration! Attack!" the Fighter charged in to attack the Karbonala Knight, but her path was blocked by the two Marauding Captain, whose swords crossed each other.

"Sorry, but as long as I have 2 or more Marauding Captains on my field, you can't attack any warrior-type monsters!" Jason said.

"I know full well of your captains' abilities; I am a Warrior Duelist myself!" Alina replied, "That's why I'm not attacking your warriors; I'm attacking that Axewielder!" the Fighter jumped clear over the warrior army and landed right in front of the Wolf Axewielder. She dodged a couple of swings from the wolfman's weapon before finally catching it by the long staff-like handle. Tightening her fist, the Fighter launched a quick uppercut and destroyed the Wolf Axewielder. But despite their differences in power, the Princess did not lose any life-points, "The Heirloom matches perfectly with Amazoness Fighter; because I don't take any damage when she battles, making her an unstoppable force! Now for that face-down card! Go, Swords Woman!" the Swords Woman jabbed Jason's face-down and destroyed the Celtic Guardian hiding beneath. "With that I shall end my turn!"

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "And for this turn, I set a monster in DEF mode. That's it for now."0

"That's right; let your monsters hide like cowards!" Alina insulted, "There's not a single monster that can stand against my Fighter!"

"It's my turn..." Michelangelo drew his next card, "I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf in ATK mode!" the four-armed white werewolf appeared (ATK: 2000), "Karbonala Warrior, attack the Amazoness Fighter!"

"Were you not paying attention?!" Alina barked, "Amazoness Fighter can't be destroyed in battle!" Karbonala Warrior swung his sword but his attack was cut short when the Fighter grabbed his wrist. She then smashed the knight into pixels with her free hand. "Now do you see?"

"Gene-Warped Warwolf, attack!" the Warwolf charged and attacked the Fighter with a barrage of fists from all four of its arms. Amazoness Fighter crossed her arms in front of her to defend against the attack, but eventually her guard broke through and she was destroyed. "Amazoness Heirloom can protect the equipped monster from being destroyed once a turn," Michelangelo reviewed, "but once that ability gets used up them, any other monster can attack and destroy the monster...right?" He asked, looking nervously at his duel partner.

"Good call!" Jason praised, "After Amazoness Fighter's protected from one attack, another monster can move in to destroy her outright!"

"It matters not! The Heirloom's effect still activates; therefore your monster is still destroyed!" Alina spat as the Warwolf cried out before disintegrating into pixel, "And since you have nothing else to play against me I supposed I'll make my next move!" the Princess then drew her next card, "And I start this out with (7) Amazoness Paladin(4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 300)!" a woman with dangerous untamed blond hair appeared, carrying a lengthy silver sword at her side. She bared resemblance to Alina's top guardsman Valentine, "Aided by her special-ability, she gains 100 ATK points for each Amazoness on the field, including herself (ATK: 1900)! However she still isn't strong enough to destroy that grungy skeleton of yours, my Swords Woman can still slice away at your life-points!" the Amazoness Swords Woman stood her ground and held her sword with both hands. She steadily ventilated as her weapon glowed brightly, "Because whenever she attacks a stronger monster, any damage she would have taken is redirected back at you! Charge!" elicited a battlecry, Amazoness Swords Woman rushed in with her giant sword heaving beside her. When she was close enough to her target she swing with ease against the skeleton dog, her sword colliding with its hard skull. The excessive force gathered was unleashed as blades of solidified air, hitting Michelangelo home and knocked him onto his back.

**Jason: 2800**

**Michelangelo: 400**

**Alina: 9100**

"Michelangelo!" Jason cried, stilling as the younger boy didn't move. His breath caught up to him when the servant waved a hand weakly, telling him that he was alright.

"There's no point trying to help him!" Alina said, setting a card onto her field, "All it will take is one more hit and he will be out of my way forever! Then I will deal with you! Now make your move!"

"Fine," Jason drew his next card, "I release Big Shield Gardna to advance-summon (10) Total Defense Shogun(6/ATK: 1550/DEF: 2500)!" the revealed set monster was replaced by a bulky, dark-skinned man with wild black hair. He carried heavy steel armor with a red cape, with three large sheathed swords strapped to his back. Held out in front of him was a giant shield as high as just under his neckline (DEF: 2500), "And I'm about to go on the offensive and attack your Amazoness Swords Woman!" the Shogun drew out one of his swords.

"With what?! All of your monsters are in DEF position!" Alina argued. "You have to be in ATK position to battle a monster!"

"And that's why I brought out Total Defense Shogun! 'Cause he can use his special-ability to attack even when he's in DEF mode!" the Shogun moved in and swung his mighty blade, the Swords Woman intercepting with her own. But due to the male warrior's strength her sword soon broke and the Swords Woman was at the mercy of his blade. The broken part that was separated from the Amazon's sword was tossed over and struck Jason.

**Jason: 2750**

**Michelangelo: 400**

**Alina: 9100**

"That's all for me right now." Jason groaned.

"My turn," Michelangelo stood on his feet, his knees slightly buckled yet his hand able to draw his next card, "I activate The Dark Door spell card," after the card was played, everyone's respective monsters were cuffed by their wrist that were attached to a pedestal that appeared near their masters. "As long as this card is on the field-"

"I know full well what your card can do, Michelangelo!" Alina spat, "I've seen The Dark Door in play before and I know of its effect to restrict a duelist to attacking with one monster per turn! But a card like that won't be enough to protect you!" she then started her next turn, "I activate the spell card Pot of Greed! This allows me to draw two more cards from my deck!" a green clay jar appeared with a lively grin on its face. A part of hands stretched out, each holding a card. When she snatched away and looked at them, a sinister grin was spread across her face, "Perfect; just what I was hoping for! I activate the spell card (5Ds) Prideful Stand!" the card played showed Warrior Dai Grepher charging at an army of fiend-type monsters, "I can only play this card when there's only one warrior-type monster on my field! This allows that same monster to attack an additional time for each monster on my opponent's field! Of course, that monster with more than 800 ATK points can't make a direct attack! Next I equip Amazoness Paladin with Amazoness Launcher!" the Paladin was suddenly holding a large bamboo tube by a strap over her shoulder. It was inked in red and had a lion's opened may at the front of the barrel. The back had a fuse that was used on giant firecrackers, "Normally I wouldn't resort to using such crude and loud weaponry such as a cannon, but surely I can use this to set a fine example! Because I can use the power of Amazoness Launcher to attack you directly! However, doing so will force my Paladin's original ATK power to 100 times her power-level. But my Prideful Stand's effect will all but make up for it!"

"But that leaves only 400 ATK points for Amazoness Paladin, plus an extra 100 from her special-ability..." Michelangelo reviewed.

"A Paladin that can attack up to five times..." Jason said under her breath.

"That depends on whom I attack!" Alina added, "So either I can obliterate my treacherous servant with a single flare, or deliver five devastating attack towards a certain revolutionary!" she pointed her finger accusingly towards her two opponents, one after the other, "And I'm leaving that choice to the both of you; sixty seconds to decide who will take the hit!" a small smile spread across her lips as both Jason and Michelangelo looked at each other in fear and bewilderment.

'It's obvious that this tyrant here will force Michelangelo to take the fall,' Alina thought with a smirk as the seconds ticked by. 'Any male would do it, casting off the weakest link in order to save themselves. And besides, any more damage he'll take, and he will surely die from the attack. It's so perfectly predictably.' She almost crackled. 'Go on, prove me wrong, if you dare.'

"Jason," Michelangelo sighed, knowing what was best. "I-"

"You think you can shove that kind of decision on us?!" Jason growled, surprising his partner and opponent. "Are you trying to turn us against each other? No way! I wouldn't do that to Michelangelo! He's done nothing to make me think he would do something to stoop that low! And I'm sure I haven't given him reason for that either."

"Oh really?" Alina growled. "You trust some random stranger you've just met? How touching!" .

"Even if we just met, I trust him," The "revolutionist" confirmed. "He hasn't give me a reason not to."

"Yet!" Alina corrected him. "What makes you think he wouldn't betray you at this moment," She narrowed her eyes at the quivering boy. "Like he betrayed me!"

"I-I did not!" Michelangelo squeaked, jumping when another glare was shot at him. "I-I may have helped Jason by nullifying the poison, by loyalty shall always be to you, m'lady!"

"You dare to lie in front of me?!" Screeched the princess, fire in her eyes. "Such insolence! You cannot possibly say that after all that has happened!" She shook her head, her hand trembling in anger over her deck.

"I would not dare lie before my queen!" Michelangelo shouted back, a little louder. "I may have helped a friend, but that does not change the fact that I hold you in the highest respect, m'lady!" He shook his head and looked at the ground. "Even after you had forgotten the times when we were young and small, I still remember! I lived to serve you then, to be an aid and a friend to you, and I am still one now!"

Alina looked ready to snap, one word or sentence ready to make her go ballistic.

"He's telling the truth!" Jason also shouted. "Even if he helped me out and even if he's a male, you can't forget what happened in the past! Before you were stolen away from your home, you just have to remember how much Michelangelo meant to you!'

"Enough!" Alina bellowed, angered beyond own belief and casting her hand out. "I will not take this from lowly and wretched men like you! Time's up!" She drew her monsters to attention. "I'll get rid of you first, and then this liar who I should have gotten rid of years ago!" A set of chain reactions launched five consecutive orbs of blue flames. Jason was struck with the onslaught and sent hurtling back, bouncing across the dirt like a flat stone tossed across the lake.

"Jason!" Shouted Michelangelo, the signer's body slowly sliding to the ground, his head hanging. "J-Jason?" The redhead asked again, watching as Jason drearily lifted his head, blinking and wincing.

"I'm . . . I'm alright," He shouted when he tried to get up, holding his waist and taking slow, deep breaths. "o-ok, maybe not. I think one of my ribs are broken and something's wrong with my left leg…" He grunted and looked at the worried servant. "Michelangelo, you have to finish this… I can't duel…"

**Jason: 300**

**Michelangelo: 400**

**Alina: 9100**

"I-I need you to duel with me though!" Michelangelo trembled and bit his lip. "I can't do this without you…"

"Sure you can," Jason offered a smile through his pain. "Your deck helped me through the trails, so you have to believe its going to help you now." Jason suddenly looked serious. "Michelangelo, you're probably the only person that can get close to Alina now. You said you knew her in the past. Try to make her remember all those times you guys were together. Maybe something will happen."

"B-But-"

"Enough stalling!" Shouted Alina. "Are you going to stand there and cower or are you going to face your punishment with whatever you call your dignity!"

Gulping, the servant turned back to his mistress and hung his head.

"When we were younger, you did not use such harsh, m'lady," He said, almost inaudible.

"What did you just say?" Growled Alina, her knuckles turning white as they changed into fists.

"You did not speak that way to anyone when we were younger," Michelangelo said, louder this time. "Even when we met and we were different ages, you allowed me to be in presence," The redhead smiled faintly. "I remember when we first met. I was very young and started aiding the palace. I had lost my mother to that terrible fire months before…"

_**Flashback...**_

_In the halls of the palace, a five-year-old Michelangelo knelt on the ground next to an older Demetrius, the two assigned to watch for rats that could sneak into the halls. The older boy suddenly dashed forward and struck down the dagger he had with him, slicing a rat's head clean off. The younger child nearly gagged._

_"I need to get some scraps from the kitchens for bait," The elder said over his shoulder. "If you see a rat, just do what I did." With that, he left Michelangelo alone._

_Sighing, the smaller servant wandered the hallway, jumping whenever he heard a small sound. He was still on edge, scared for whatever would come after him. And at every other sound, he turned and expected his mother to be behind him, smiling with open arms. No matter how much he tried, he still couldn't forget her._

_"Mommy…" He would whisper. It was all he could do before his began to tear up. Even if he was forgetting how she looked or talked, the youngest of the male servants still kept her in his memory._

_Another sound struck him, but it went on longer. A ticking and clicking noise he didn't understand. He turned and barely screamed when something pounced on him._

_"Nila!" The small tiger cub on his chest and tilted its head, bouncing off him and scurrying to the girl that came running down the halls. Michelangelo shakily sat up as she walked over to him, long blue hair braided with a crown of gold and white lilies on her head._

_"Are you alright?" She asked, dressed in fine silks. She was a few years older than him and the servant was sure he saw her somewhere before._

_Michelangelo nodded shakily and the girl smiled._

_"That's good. I'm sorry if Nila frightened you. She loves to come down here to find mice to eat." She held a hand out to him. "I'm Alina. Who are you?"_

_Squeaking, Michelangelo suddenly bowed his entire body forward at her feet, knowing his place. From what Demetrius told him, he always had to bow whenever royal company was present. He had to show respect to the princess of the Amazons._

_"Raise your head," Alina said, helping the scared boy to his feet and giggling. "Mother told me about you. I'm sorry you lost your mother. But you're lucky mine found you," She spoke highly of her mother, the queen. Michelangelo knew why. No one else was a more fair ruler and warrior like the queen. "Mother says that you will stay at my side and aid me. Can I count on you for that . . ."_

_"M-Michelangelo," The boy stood and bowed his head. "M-My name is Michelangelo, m-m'lady."_

_Alina's smile widen._

_"You're weird," She laughed. "Let's get along, yes?"_

_**...End Flashback**_

"And I was at your side ever since." Michelangelo said thoughtfully.

"Like the annoying pest you will always be." Muttered Alina. Wistfully, her servant smiled.

"You didn't mind me at all when you wanted someone to spare time with you, while the queen was busy."

_**...End Flashback**_

_Michelangelo jumped back when the spear nearly struck him, his hand tightening over the wooden shield he had._

_"M-M'lady, can't we take a break, please?"_

_"But we just started!" Pouting, Alina pulled back the spear she had struck at her servant and sighed, propping the weapon on her shoulders and balancing it. "You're so weak, Michelangelo. How come you don't go with Demetrius and the others to hunt for snakes on your free time?" She tilted her head._

_"I'd rather stay here with you, m'lady," The young boy spoke honestly, picking up the spear he dropped. "I am in debt to the queen to be by your side, and your side I shall stay." He said._

_"So you only stay on my mother's wishes." Alina frowned._

_"N-Not at all!" The servant shook his head. "I stay because I also wish you to be happy, m'lady! Your happiness means the world to me!" He knelt on one foot with his hand to his chest, smiling. "For as long as I shall live, I will always serve you. My only wish in life is to make sure that you are smiling and my only hope is that you shall be a great queen as her highness."_

_"Do you really mean that?" Asked Alina, twirling a stand of her hair with her finger._

_Her aid crossed an X over his chest and beamed._

_"I swear on my life!"_

_**...End Flashback**_

"Swore on your life, you said," Alina spat, glaring at Michelangelo. "I'm surprised you haven't dropped dead yet." She muttered. Michelangelo held back a laugh. You almost couldn't tell if it was forced or real.

"That's because I do wish to make you happy, m'lady," He said kindly. "I have kept to that promise since the day I swore it."

"And yet you broke it," Feral eyes narrowed and finely manicured nails dug into Alina's palm. "You broke it when you helped that lousy male." Her glowering gaze turned to Jason, who watched the scene whilst trying to hold onto consciousness.

"No, I still hold it. However," The redhead sighed. "I almost did lose it. I thought I would never be able to hold onto it when that night happened." He said, almost sounding lost.

"And what night would that be?" Alina asked angrily. Green eyes flickered softly.

"The day the kingdom lost you to that organization…" He whispered, almost chocking back the pain he felt that night. "For a long time, the kingdom was in havoc. How the subjects mourned and worried. How desperately her majesty wanted to search for you."

Alina's hand visibly clenched at the mentioning of her mother.

"I wish I could have done something, to find you myself," He shook his head with a bitter smile. "If I could, I would have searched the ends of the earth. But as you said, I was weak," He laughed dryly but continued. "In any case, years had passed. I soon began to lose faith. I wondered if I would ever see you smile ever again. But then, it was when Devak bought you and the other prisoners back. It had to be one of the greatest days of my life…" Despite his happiness, Michelangelo still looked sad. "But I couldn't see you for weeks. Not while you were at the queen's side when she was ill. And when she . . . When she passed," He gulped. "I saw you after weeks of mourning and your coronation. I was very excited to see you again…"

_**Flashback...**_

_Peeking into the garden of the palace, Michelangelo spotted Alina walking with Nila, his mistress dressed silks of red with the queen's tiara on her head. He smiled, happy to see her. She bared the crown like the royalty she was. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when he saw her._

_"M'lady!" He called out, padding to her with his orange hair swaying. Alina looked up, and the look on her face made Michelangelo stop in his tracks. Why was she glaring at him so wickedly._

_"What business do you have with me?" She asked agitatedly, as if the very sight of him bothered her._

_"I-It's me, m'lady. Michelangelo," He smiled sheepishly, taking a step closer. "You have no idea how relived I am to see you well. So long has it been. I've counted the days waiting for your return." He smiled kindly, bowing. "The queen's headdress is lovely on you, m'lady. You shall rule the kingdom as great as her. I can feel it." He said honestly. A growl was shot at him and the boy looked up in time to see Nila ready to pounce on him. But she held no playfulness like she usually did. At this point, she bared her teeth and snarled, daring him to take another step to Alina._

_"M-M'lady?"_

_"Take heed of this, you rat," The servant gasped and stared at his princess, surprised at how angry she sounded. "You are my aid, and I will treat you as such. Speak out of term, anger me, do anything I do not see fit, and I will not be afraid to force discipline upon you." Holding her head high, the new queen walked briskly out of the garden, pausing before turning her head to the gaping male. "Get back to the servants' quarters where you belong, Michelangelo." With his name spoken in a harsh way, she left with Nila padding after her._

_Michelangelo sat there, shocked and frighten, before standing up and returning to the servants' quarters. From that day on, Alina had acted that way to him and every other male. Though harsh to all of her other subjects, she was especially cruel to Michelangelo and the rest of the males._

_**...End Flashback**_

"Why?" Michelangelo looked pleadingly at his queen. "Why did it have to come to this. M'lady, if it were up to me, then I would not wish to go against you! My only wish-"

"Is to make me happy?! Well it still is," Alina smirked. "This is the day I get rid of you! All those memories you speak about are nothing more than fragments of the past! Those days shall never exist once I'm finished with you!" She threw her hands at the ready. "Now make your next move!"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Warrior Lady of the Wasteland**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1100 DEF/1200**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 EARTH Warrior-Type monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck, in face-up Attack Position.**

**(2) Amazoness Archer **

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1400 DEF/1000**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: You can Tribute 2 monsters to inflict 1200 damage to your opponent.**

**(3) Amazoness Blowpiper**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 3 ATK/800 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: Select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls during each of your Standby Phases. It loses 500 ATK until the end of this turn.**

**(4) Amazoness Fighter**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1500 DEF/1000**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: You take no Battle Damage from battles involving this card.**

**(5) Amazoness Sage**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1400 DEF/1300**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: At the end of the Damage Step, if this card attacked and is still on the field: Target 1 Spell/Trap Card your opponent controls; destroy that target.**

**(6) Amazoness Swords Woman**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1500 DEF/1600**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: Your opponent takes all Battle Damage that you would have taken from a battle involving this card.**

**(7) Amazoness Paladin**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1700 DEF/300**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: This card gains 100 ATK for each "Amazoness" monster you control.**

**(8) Obnoxious Celtic Guard**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1400 DEF/1200**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: This card cannot be destroyed by battle with a monster that has 1900 or more ATK.**

**(9) Little Winguard**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1400 DEF/1800**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Description: You can change the battle position of this card once per turn, during your End Phase.**

**(10) Total Defense Shogun**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 6 ATK/1550 DEF/2500**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Description: This card is changed to Defense Position when it is Normal Summoned or Flip Summoned successfully. This card can attack while it is in Defense Position. If this card attacks while in Defense Position, apply the ATK of this card for damage calculation.**

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON TRIVIA-<strong>

**Hey duelists! Did you know:**

**The monster Amazoness Paladin bears resemblance to Mai Valentine.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**YuGiOh 5D's: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>With Jason Hutchins out unable to duel, Michelangelo was left standing to face his master Princess Alina; and the odds were clearly in her favor:<p>

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 400**

**Alina: 9100**

"Now that I attacked with Amazoness Paladin, Amazoness Launcher is returned to the bottom of my deck!" The makeshift bazooka disappeared, allowing Paladin to stand upright, "I'm still waiting for you to make your move, Michelangelo!" the Princess barked, sending a fiery gaze at the squirming servant. "And with that male friend of yours slacking off! I suggest you draw now!"

Michelangelo stood and processed the situation he was in, biting his lip. In no time at all Alina had taken a major lead and left him and Jason with a small fragment in life-points. He looked towards Jason, who was still sat, cringing with a buckled back from the assault he was dealt with. But he shook his head and tried to remove most of his doubt out of his head. His focus should be on his duel. Jason was sure to be fine. So he proceeded with his draw.

"I activate the spell card, Spiritual Forest!" A few short trees appeared around his field, which their leaves reflected in the sunlight with morning dew, "And as long as this card's out, my beast-type monsters can't be destroyed in battle."

"I supposed it's my turn now," Alina drew her next card, "And I activate the spell, Card of Sanctity. So guess what: we each draw until we hold six cards in our hand. Unfortunately for one of us, since he's on his back, he can't participate." Both she and Michelangelo restored their hands while Jason was left out, "Next, I will summon a second Amazoness Fighter to my field, thus strengthening my Paladin's ATK power by 100," A second fighter appeared and Paladin's ATK points increased (ATK: 1900), "Next I play another spell, Double Summon. And as its name suggests, I'm allowed to summon a second monster this turn. And the monster I choose to summon will be (1) Amazoness Trainee(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1300)!" A young girl with silvery looking hair and dressed in a blue fur top and shorts appeared on the field, holding a chain in her hands with a spike at the end. She looked like Chakra Silvers, yet her eyes did not hold the same warmth as the original had (ATK: 1500), "And with that, another monster gives Paladin 100 more points(ATK: 2000)! Finally, I place two cards face-down and end my turn." Two reverses appeared.

"It's my turn," Michelangelo drew his next card, "I activate the Synthesis Spell ritual card! By offering Hard Armor and Giga-Tech Wolf as tribute, I summon Lycanthrope from my hand!" The genetic werewolf appeared on the field and howled at the sky, pounding his fists to her chest (ATK: 2400), "Lycanthrope, attack Amazoness Paladin!" The beast lunged forward, ready to swipe at the female swordsman.

"I activate my trap card, Negate Attack!" Alina revealed her reverse-card and a strong gust of wind held black the werewolf. "You just wasted your only attack!"

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." Sighed the servant, doing so.

"My turn!" Alina drew her next card, "I activate the continuous-spell, Amazoness Fighting Spirit!" As her spell card appeared on the field, Amazoness Trainee was surrounded by a fiery aura, "Next my Amazoness Trainee will attack!"

"But Lycanthrope's ATK is higher!" Michelangelo replied, confused.

"Why do you think I played my Fighting Spirit spell just now!? Whenever one of my amazons attacks a stronger monster, they gain an additional 1000 ATK points until the end of the battle-phase! Now, give that Lycanthrope some obedience training!" The amazon apprentice swung her chain rope and caught Lycanthrope by its neck. With much effort, she pulled against her chain and managed to carry the wolf off its feet, swinging the beast around a few times before tossing the werewolf into the sky, and let it crash back down to earth.

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 300**

**Alina: 9100**

"This isn't good!" Jason groaned, holding onto his shoulder to ease the pain in his back, "So even if he does manage to bring out a stronger monster, Alina's will just get even more stronger!"

"My Amazons are a resilient tribe! It will take much more than brute force to defeat me!" The Princess declared, holding her head up high. "Now make your move!"

Michelangelo began his turn, setting a card, "I summon Wolf in DEF mode," A simple snow-furred wolf appeared on his field (DEF: 800), "Next, my Lycanthrope will attack Amazoness Paladin again!" The werewolf made another attack at the paladin.

"I activate my trap, Half Counter!" Alina revealed her reverse-card, "This takes half of the ATK points of your attacking monster and adds them to my Paladin, giving her a total of 3200 ATK points! And with only 300 life-points to your name, your judgment is finally at hand!" Drawing her sword the Amazoness Paladin managed to slip past Lycanthrope and avoid its claws. In a matter of seconds the werewolf fell on its knees as the Paladin charged straight at her opponent with her sword ready to skewer him, "It's over, Michelangelo!"

But her servant threw out his hand, revealing his face-down.

"I activate my trap card!" The Amazoness Paladin grasped both hand on her sword and brought it swinging forward. But her blade was suddenly blocked by stone. She stepped back and faced a large, angular shield with an eye etched into it. Several cracks were seen on it, as well as a long gash recently made from the paladin's sword.

"What?!" Alina snarled. "You shouldn't have any life-points left!" She argued as her paladin retreated to her field, "What was that card you just played?!" She demanded.

"It's the Aegis of Gaia," Michelangelo answered, "It lets me summon Aegis, an ancient an enchanted shield. It protects my life-points from up to 3000 points of damage. So any damage I would take from this point will redirect to the Aegis." He informed.

**Aegis of Gaia: 2200**

"I will end my turn there!"

"Thank goodness for that trap card," Jason said, adding with a though, 'I just hope he can keep it on the field. Come on, Michelangelo…'

"A shield used by Zeus, the Greek god of Thunder." 'Tsking', the princess scorned and placed her hand on her next card. "Let's see what Hera can do for me..." She drew her next card, "I activate the Double Attack spell card! By sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, my Amazoness Paladin can attack twice this turn! And thanks to my Fighting Spirit spell card, she gains 1000 ATK points (ATK: 3000)! So as to finish where my Trainee has failed, I will make sure that Lycanthrope is put down permanently!" The Paladin advanced and made two consecutive strikes with her sword, finally slaying the werewolf.

**Aegis of Gaia: 1000**

"Now that I've rid the field of that over-sized mutt, I can now activate my Queen's Pawn trap card!" Alina said as her reverse-card flipped up, "Since my Amazon destroyed a monster in battle, I can summon a level-4-or-lower Amazoness monster from my deck!" The trap card glowed as the Princess held a card in her hand that came from her deck, "And I can assure you that this Amazon will make your beasts look like the worthless flea-bags they are. Allow me to introduce you to the Amazon's ever-faithful protector! I summon the (2) Amazoness Tiger(4/ATK: 1100/DEF: 1500)!" A large tiger leap out of the card with its right eye scarred shut, wearing broken shackles on its wrists and ankles and a golden collar on its neck.

"Um, did you say t-tiger?" Michelangelo stuttered with a nervous tone. Big cats with pointed rows of teeth always managed to scare him, ever since he was young. The way the giant feline growled at him, pawing at the ground with narrowed eyes, made his knees almost fall under him.

"Don't worry, you heard me. He's not as loyal and powerful as Nila is, but he gains 400 ATK points for every Amazon on the field; that includes himself!" The orange tiger snarled at Michelangelo and his monsters as his power increased (ATK: 2700). "Let's see what your beasts can do against this! Make your move!"

Shaking off his fear, the meek male drew his next card, "I set a monster in DEF mode, and also switch Lycanthrope to DEF to end my turn." He said.

"Of course; hide behind your pack for as long as you can!" His mistress sneered. "But soon, you'll have nothing left to protect you from what I have in store!" The blue-haired royal snarled as she drew her next card, "Amazoness Paladin, attack Michelangelo's face-down card!" When the Paladin made another strike with her sword, the set monster rose from its card while a barrier formed over it to block the Paladin's attack. The barrier vanished to show Hyena on the field, it's tongue drawn out lazily. "Typical, another meddling mutt. I'll play the Gold Sarcophagus spell card," A small golden box appeared in front of the Amazon Princess, "By removing a card from my deck and placing it into this box, I can add it to my hand in two turn. In the meantime I'll end my turn." She finished.

Michelangelo drew his next card, "I activate the spell card, Twister! By sacrificing 500 points from the Aegis Shield, I can destroy 1 face-up spell or trap card. And the card I choose will be the Amazoness Fighting Spirit spell card!" A powerful gust of wind was fired from his card and shredded apart Alina's continuous-spell card.

**Aegis of Gaia: 500**

"I'll end my turn there."

"No matter; I won't need it. There's not a card in your deck that will prove worthy of my time," Alina said , rolling her eyes and adding her next card to her hand, "I activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your Dark Door spell!" A solid whirlwind was created and Michelangelo's continuous-spell was destroyed, "With that pesky spell gone I can finally let loose the dogs of war; of course no pun intended. Amazoness Fighter, attack the hyena first!" The Fighter smashed through Spiritual Forest's barrier, "Amazoness Trainee, it's your turn!" The Amazon apprentice caught the hyena with her chain, "I'm well aware of that beast's ability to call on it brothers when it falls in battle. That's why I decided to use my Trainee's special-ability, which sends your monsters back to the bottom of your deck instead of the graveyard! And for each monster she destroys in battle, she gains 200 more ATK points!" The Trainee pulled hard on her chain and tossed the hyena into the air. Hyena then was replaced by a streak of blue light which struck Michelangelo's deck.

Amazoness Trainee: (ATK: 1700)

"Next, my Paladin will make quick work of your mundane wolf!" The Paladin struck down the wolf with her sword, "And finally, my Tiger will be able to finally dispose of that mangy canine!" With one quick swipe, Lycanthrope was brought to its knees before shattering into pixels, "Now all that's left is your Skull Dog Marron. Once I'm done with him, there will be nothing standing between me and victory!" Alina smirked, looking victorious. "Why don't you just surrender and save yourself any further humiliation?"

Her aid shook his head, bowing his head.

"I can't do that!" He looked back up and decreed, "I gave my word I would protect you with my life!" His eyes glinted once as he drew his next card, "And to do that I have to destroy the hatred that's been weighing down your heart! It's my turn!" he looked at his next card with parted breath. His eyes lit as he drew the card he needed to help guard his life-points, "Please tell me, do you know about the story of Culann's Hound?" Alina stood quiet, her scowl sealing her mouth shut as Michelangelo spoke calmly, "It tells the story of a boy who killed a hero's fierce guard-dog in self defense. In turn, he took its place as his vassal and protected him against opposing armies." He told.

"Is that how you plan to spend your final turn?" Alina growled, "Your move is telling Scottish folklore?"

"That is my move," The orange-haired man said with a small smile. "But not as what you think. This folklore as you call it is made into this spell card!" He threw the card down as a golden light washed over it. "I activate Emblem of the Awakening!" The light formed into a Celtic knot made of three single-colored plates forming a triangle.

"What do you plan to do with that?!" Asked his superior.

"It's a ritual card! And by offering Skull Dog Marron as tribute, I can call forth a warrior that made himself into a legend! I summon (4) Cu Chulainn the Awakened(4/ATK: 500/DEF: 1500)!" The seal in the spell card created a warrior girded in heavy armor, his entire stance crouched with haunches pulled back. His fierce yet softly defined face conveyed a palpable sense of weakness despite the finely-crafted spear he held in his hand (ATK: 500).

"That's what you plan to use against me?" Alina scoffed, "I'll put him down like the dog you sacrificed for him."

"Not if I equip him with the Ritual Weapon card!" Michelangelo added another card to the field, a weapon falling from it and falling onto Cu Chulainn's arm. "This gives Cu Chulainn 1500 more ATK and DEF points!" The crossbow in sleek design melted into his arm, branding him as a coil of fire wrapped around him (ATK: 2000/DEF: 3000), "Now I activate Cu Chulainn's special-ability, which absorbs the power of any one normal-monster in my graveyard!"

"But your graveyard is full of-" Alina cut herself off when she realized his strategy.

"Most of the monsters fallen in battle are normal-monsters," Her servant confirmed, "And now I remove Gene-Warped Warwolf from play to add its ATK points to Cu Chulainn!" A ghostly image of Gene-Warped Warwolf briefly appeared as Cu Chulainn's power increased (ATK: 4000).

"That's impossible..." Alina muttered, "4000 ATK points?!"

"Cu Chulainn, attack the Amazoness Trainee with Gae Bulg Spear!"Twirling his staff ,the Irish legend jumped into the air, the setting sun casting a shadow towards the apprentice. But the tiger stepped in the way and bounded itself towards the warrior and both of then landed in the center of the battlefield, not losing their footing (ATK: 3100). The tiger's claws tried to knock down Cu Chulainn's spear while the Wolf hero tried to remove his weapon from the beast's teeth. Eventually the two forced themselves from each other and retreated to their original posts.

"I don't understand!" Michelangelo gasped, "Cu Chulainn has stronger ATK points! And he was supposed to attack Amazoness Trainee!"

"Indeed. But unfortunately, my tiger's ability makes it so that you cannot attack any other Amazoness monsters! He would have been destroyed, that is, if not for this!" Alina revealed her face-down card, a continuous-trap showing a battle-scarred Amazoness Paladin struggling to rise to her feet, "It's a trap card known as Amazoness Willpower! It allows me to revive an Amazon from my graveyard! It then acts as an anchor to keep her on the field! And although the card alone did not protect my tiger, the monster I summoned in fact did!" Another Amazon shot from the card. She had long blue hair, wore sturdy garb similar to the other Amazons', had a crown on her head with a skull at the front, and held a wicked looking sword. "Behold her Majesty, the (3) Amazoness Queen(6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1800)!"

"There's a queen as well?!" Michelangelo gasped, staring at the doppelganger of his mistress, her fury as powerful as his opponent.

"I thought Amazoness Tiger was her leading monster!" Jason added, "He's the one protecting her Amazon monsters from harm!"

"Amazoness Tiger is but a mere pet whose duty is to protect his Amazon masters!" Alina replied, "My Amazoness Queen is the one who will truly guide them to victory! Because with her special-ability, my Amazon's cannot be destroyed in battle! And she is just as generous to give Amazoness Tiger such willpower as well!"

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 300**

**Alina: 8200**

'I was hoping that would turn the tables,' Michelangelo thought, scratching the back of his neck, 'But at least I have the strongest monster on the field.'

"It's my turn now!" Alina drew her next card, "Two turns have passed since Gold Sarcophagus activated! So the card I placed in the box is added to my hand! Next I will have my Amazoness Queen attack Cu Chulainn!"

"But my monster is stronger!" The manservant argued. "You would gain nothing by attacking!" But Michelangelo was ignored as the Amazon and the Irish warrior clashed, the brief battle ended in a draw.

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 300**

**Alina: 6600**

"If I'd have the option to cower before my opponent just because he's stronger than I am, I would sooner fight will all my strength even if it takes my last breath!" Declared the royalist of the Amazons. "My people will never forgive their ruler should I ever show weakness to a male, even if it's someone as pathetic as you! Back to the duel! I end my turn by switching Amazoness Tiger to DEF mode! Now make your move!"

Michelangelo drew his next card, "During my standby-phase, the special-ability of Cu Chulainn expires, reducing his ATK to his previous 2000 points. Now I activate his ability once more, removing Wolf Axewielder from my graveyard to gain his ATK points(ATK: 3650). Finally I set a card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn now!" Alina drew her next card, "Amazoness Queen, attack Cu Chulainn!" The queen attack relentlessly with her giant sword, but Cu Chulainn managed to fight back,

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 300**

**Alina: 5350**

"I will end me turn!"

"It's my turn," Michelangelo drew his next card and the effect of Cu Chulainn expired, "I remove Skull Dog Marron from the graveyard to increase Cu Chulainn's power(ATK: 3350). I end my turn."

"My turn!" Alina drew her next card, "I activate the spell card, Forbidden Chalice! By giving your monster 400 ATK points, it also negates his special-ability!" A large chalice appeared over Cu Chulainn and tipped over, sending a drizzle of sparkling water raining on top of him. Suddenly his armor turned a little red with rust, the weight almost knocking him to his feet. As heavy as it was, the legend held on his own and stood with great difficulty, refusing to crumble. (ATK: 2400), "Now my Amazoness Tiger, rise to ATK and destroy Cu Chulainn!"

"I activate the trap, Threatening Roar!" The moment the card activated, a series of strong and loud shockwaves erupted and forced the tiger to stand his ground.

"You managed to protect yourself for the moment! But it won't make a difference!" Alina said and ended her turn with a reverse-card, "I paid attention to the monsters you played the moment you summoned that ritual-warriors of yours! The strongest monster you have now to use with his ability is M-Warrior #1! And even then Cu Chulainn's power would pale in comparison to my Amazoness Tiger! All I have to do is wait for my next turn and I can finally be rid of you forever! Make your move Michalangelo, and accept your fate!"

'She may be right,' Michalangelo thought, looking at his hand, 'If I use Cu Chulainn's ability he'll only have 3000 ATK points, weaker than her tiger. If I don't do something, he'll be destroyed by Amazoness Tiger; and then any one of her monsters could end the duel or me!'

"You finally realize that there's absolutely no chance of winning!" Alina scoffed, crossing her arms proudly, "Just look at your friend! I managed to even get him on his knees! He's no longer able to help you! You defied me and fought against me, but the fact remains is that you can never defeat me! I gave you a chance to surrender, but now it's too late for you to do anything!"

Michelangelo wondered if what she said what true. Ever since Alina scolded him after her inauguration, not a day went by that he did not wonder how he could bring her back to the girl he knew. And when he finally had the chance to do so, he was eventually outmaneuvered and almost out of moves, while Alina managed to maintain her field full of monsters. He was the only one left standing against her and he could not even convince her to have a change of heart. Maybe it was better if he had just stayed quiet like a decent servant...

"Don't listen to her!" Jason called out to Michelangelo, startling the boy, "This duel isn't over yet! Just remember why you duel in the first place!" With much effort, rose to his feet and tried to maintain his ability to not drop hard on his back, "You're fighting against the Princess just so you can save her! You must knew the risks and you still wanted to help her! That means you still hold on to your promise that you'll make her happy and stay by her side! All you have to do is prove to her that protecting her is all you care about, not going against her!"

Michelangelo looked down at his duel-disk, his thoughts reeling back as a voice in the back of his mind echoed to him.

__"I stay because I also wish for you to be happy, m'lady! For as long as I shall live, I will always serve you. My only wish in life is to make sure that you are smiling and my only hope is that you shall be a great queen as her highness. . . I swear on my life!"__

'Jason just made a point; about everything!' He realized, blinking as enlightenment hit him. 'He just reminded me of why I'm in this duel in the first place! If I'm gonna keep my promise then it's decided on this next card. Let's find out if it helps...'

He nodded and placed his hand on his deck. "Alright, it's my turn; I draw!" He then swiped the top card from his deck. He looked at it hesitantly.

"Stop stalling and make your next move!" Alina barked, growing impatient, "Or should I take your silence as some form of surrender!"

Michelangelo shook his head, flipping the card over as a smoky-blue light formed around it.

"I summon the tuner-monster (5) Shiba-Warrior Taro(2/ATK: 800/DEF: 600)!"

Alina's attention was drawn towards a small shiba dog that appeared beside Cu 'Chulainn wearing a green scarf around its neck, yipping and panting innocently. As harmless as it looked, she couldn't help but feel tense, especially when she heard what Michelangelo called the monster, "Tuner..."

Michelangelo threw his hand up, guiding his monster silently. Taro leap and separated into two Synchro-gates while the Irish warrior disintegrated into four stars. They rose and crossed into the rings, creating a column of light stretching through the ground and sky.

"Next I tune Cu 'Chulainn with Shiba-Warrior Taro…" His voice drew in a breath, and his whole demeanor suddenly changed, a chant roaring from his heart. "Unbound by the strength of heart, loyal to all who call forth! May the bay of the moon ignite the primal beast with! Synchro-Summon!" The light broke out and the shards of the gates took on a large form. "(6) Gravity Warrior(6/ATK: 2100/DEF: 1000)!"

Once the light faded, Alina looked up to see a mechanical warrior. It seemed to be a humanoid wolf in sky blue armor, razor sharp claws and long hair made of thick metal wires (ATK: 2100). Alina remained gasped as Gravity Warrior stared her down with its burning red eyes. Her Amazoness Tiger stood between the two, snarling and with his teeth bared; along with her other warriors at the ready. Seeing her drones protect her broke her out of her amazement, "Do you think that supposed to scare me?!" She exclaimed, "It's just as weak as your last so-called warrior! Just what are you planning to do with that?!"

"When Gravity Warrior's summoned, he gets 300 ATK points for each monster on your field!" The new warrior cried a mechanical roar as he powered up (ATK: 3600).

"T-that won't make a difference!" Alina stammered, "My monsters can't be destroyed with Amazoness Queen's protection!"

"That's a chance I'll have to take!" Her servant shouted back, throwing out his hand in signal. "Gravity Warrior, attack!" Gravity warrior charged into enemy lines to have Amazoness Tiger bound himself on top of it. The two struggled until Gravity Warrior managed to pull the tiger off and retreat.

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 300**

**Alina: 4850**

"And with that I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn!" Alina growled as she drew her next card, a snarl rumbling in her throat as her eyes narrowed, 'This is so frustrating! If it weren't' for that male's meddling, this blasted boy would've surrendered! Then he somehow summoned this...__Synchro Monster__!' The name itself seemed to send shivers down her spine, 'No! He's just a slave! A mere drone! He's nothing special, just an annoying pest!' She then looked at her deck, 'I owe it to my mother to keep peace among the Amazon tribe! And I have to make sure absolutely nothing will threaten it! I can't believe that this insect would be causing me this much trouble…'

"I switch every monster except for Her Highness to DEF mode!" Amazoness Tiger, Paladin, Fighter and Trainee switched battle-position (DEF: 1500/300/1300/1300)! Now Amazoness Queen will attack your Gravity Warrior once more!" The clash between the two monsters resulted another deadlock.

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 300**

**Alina: 4150**

"Finally I place one card face-down and end my turn!" Finished the leader of Amazons. "Michelangelo, you may have survived this long but only because you got by on luck! The fact remains is that you can't do anything without someone to cling to! Just admit that you're worthless on your own!"

"...It's true; I'm not the strongest servant or the most intelligent, I may not be able to do everything by myself, but I'm still __your __servant!" Michelangelo replied, with new-found determination shown in his eyes, "And I am going to fulfill my promise if it's the last thing I do!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Jason said, straightening himself up, holding back a grunt as his bones popped in alignment, "I think I'm done napping; time to get back to dueling!"

Michelangelo smiled, grateful to know that Jason was there, "Thank you."

Nodding in return, the foreign duelist began his turn, "It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "First I activate the spell card Pot of Greed, drawing 2 more cards! Next I summon the monster know as (7) X-Saber Pashuul(2/ATK: 400/DEF: 200)!" A rugged, sword-wielding warrior in patchwork armor then appeared (ATK: 400), "And you probably don't know, Axel's also a tuner-monster!"

"Tuner...Monster?!" Alina gasped, the alien word making her flinch.

"Now I tune my 2 Marauding Captains with X-Saber Pashuul to synchro-summon one of my favorite monsters!" The three monsters united as Jason chanted, "Divested stars form a timid soul, discovered in the darkest reaches! Unlock the gates to remove the shadows, and create the titan it will become, on its long-forgotten journey! Synchro Summon! Colossal Fighter, Accelerate!" In a flash of light, Jason's colossal white warrior landed onto the field with a powerful thud (ATK: 2800), "And this synchro-monster has a power-up ability like Gravity Warrior; except Colossal Fighter gains 100 ATK points for each monster in the graveyard! That means every warrior that fell on the battlefield, both yours __and __Michelangelo's are gonna help me turn this duel around!" Alina could only watch with astonishment as Colossal Fighter grew stronger (ATK: 4300), "Next, I equip my fighter with the equip-spell Rainbow Veil!" Colossal Fighter's shell was covered in a spectrum hue, "So from here on, when Colossal Fighter battles with another monster, the special-ability of that monster is negated!"

"But that means..." Alina trailed off.

"That means when Colossal Fighter attacks this turn, your Amazoness Tiger's ATK points drop down to their original score!" Colossal Fighter charged in and slammed its giant fist against the tiger. It was knocked back like a skipping stone until it maneuvered back on its feet, returning to its master side.

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 300**

**Alina: 950**

"And with that, I end my turn!"

"It's my turn!" Michelangelo drew his next card, "I place 1 card face-down! Next my Gravity Warrior attacks Amazones Tiger!" The battle created another stalemate.

**Jason: 250**

**Michelangelo: 300**

**Alina: 450**

"With that, I end my turn!" Michelangelo concluded.

Alina thought she would have had this duel won long before now. But those two were somehow hanging on, especially her servant, since this was one of the few times her dueled. To think he would last this long, her anger grew from the fact that he could even match her. She was supposed to be the master over this low-life mutt, not some powerful canine-like warrior that was able to surpass the burning tigress spirit within her. What would happen if he would somehow able to rise above her...?

"I will admit, you are at least the most interesting opponents who ever dared to challenge me, and the most irritating," Alina growled, looking down, "Out of the very few I had the chance to duel, everyone else were too cocky or mere cowards; either way they never lasted long against me. But you... You dared to defy my authority... But it won't matter," The princess reached out towards the bands that held her hair, "Up until now I was not using all of my power. But the amount I used should have been enough for your feeble kind!" As she removed the bands she shook her head to let loose her dark-blue head run freely down her back, "The mistake of underestimating your ability to hold your own almost cost me this duel! I will not let it cost me my kingdom!" Suddenly, a strong pressure made itself present, as if Alina had exerted her authority over this land. Even her companion Nila roared in praise to her master's dominance, "So, as you outlanders would say, it's time for the gloves to come off, the hair to come down..." Princess Alina flexed out her metal nails and held them towards her opponent's, their luster reflecting against the fading sun's light.

"... And the claws to come out!"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Amazoness Trainee**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV4 ATK/1500 DEF/1300**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Monsters destroyed by battle with this card are returned to the bottom of the Deck instead of going to the Graveyard. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: It gains 200 ATK.**

**(2) Amazoness Tiger**

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV4 ATK/1100 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: You can only control 1 "Amazoness Tiger". This card gains 400 ATK for each "Amazoness" monster you control. Your opponent cannot attackanother "Amazoness" monster.**

**(3) Amazoness Queen**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV6 ATK/2400 DEF/1800**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: "Amazoness" monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle.****  
><strong>

**(4) Cu Chulainn the Awakened**

**Stats: [Warrior/Ritual/Effect] LV4 ATK/500 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: This card can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card,Emblem of the Awakening. Once per turn, you can remove from play 1Normal Monster in your Graveyard. This card gains ATK equal to that Normal Monster's ATK, until the Standby Phase of your next turn.**

**(5) Shiba-Warrior Taro**

**Stats: [Beast-Warrior/Tuner] LV5 ATK/800 DEF/600**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: This card cannot be destroyed by battle. When a card on the field is destroyed by battle or by a card effect, return this face-up card to itsowner's hand.****  
><strong>

**(6) Gravity Warrior**

**Stats: [Warrior/Synchro/Effect] LV6 ATK/2100 DEF/1000**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters  
>When this card is Synchro Summoned: It gains 300 ATK for each face-up monster your opponent controls. Once per turn, during your opponent's Battle Phase: You can target 1 Defense Position monster your opponent controls; change it to face-up Attack Position, also it must attack this turn, if able.<strong>**  
><strong>

**(7) X-Saber Pashuul**

**Stats: [Warrior/Tuner] LV2 ATK/4000 DEF/200**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: This card cannot be destroyed by battle. During each of your opponent's Standby Phases: You take 1000 damage. You must control this card in face-up Defense Position to activate and to resolve this effect.**

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON TRIVIA-<strong>

**Hey duelists! Did you know:**

The card "Shuba-Warrior Taro" is based on Kazuki Takahashi's dog "Taro".

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


End file.
